Google Helps Egyptians Tweet Via Landline

Internet service in Egypt is now totally shut down and there are reports that cell phone service has again been cut, but that won't stop people from finding ways to reach out and express themselves.

One creative solution is from engineers at Google, Twitter and SayNow, a company that Google recently acquired, who have created a way for people from Egypt to Tweet via landline.

According to the Google blog, "Anyone can tweet by simply leaving a voicemail on one of these international phone numbers ([phone] or [phone] or [phone]) and the service will instantly tweet the message using the hashtag #egypt. No Internet connection is required."

In addition to leaving Tweets, you can call that number and listen, though unlike accessing Twitter on a computer or phone, there isn't a way to selectively hear only from people you follow. You can listen and read tweets here but many are in Arabic and not properly transcribed. Click here for an audio sample of a couple of tweets that are in English.

This is, of course, only one of several creative ways that people can use to get around the Egyptian government's attempt to shut down communciations. Some people are connecting by using old fashioned dial-up modems to dial into other countries, others are using satellite equipment and some are accessing the Internet via ham radio equipment.

 

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Comments

[Mary Saunders]

12:57 PM on 02/01/2011

Egyptians are resilient and resourceful. I hope we don't need to imitate them any time soon.

[GardenerNorCal]

12:35 PM on 02/01/2011

What next will our governments do next? Turn off the landlines? Could happen very easily. Afterall the markets only have to make it a credible threat.

[GardenerNorCal]

12:29 PM on 02/01/2011

Amazing isn't it the rich can't believe anyone still has a landline or an old dialup modem. Demonstrates the real divisions between the classes doesn't it? Sad thing is the death of analog tv in the US, would have been hard to turn off tv coverage before it's death, now it's actually pretty easy.

[GardenerNorCal]

12:23 PM on 02/01/2011

Funny isn't it the wealthy move beyond slow dialup they forget some ot the poor still use it. Demonstrates to me how big the real divide really is.

[CHMB]

12:08 PM on 02/01/2011

This is a great idea and I'm glad to see that the voices of the citizens of Egypt are still being heard. m

[ischuldt]

10:17 AM on 02/01/2011

As usual everything you need to know about the situation in egypt is right here.
www.freedomlibertypatriots.com

[Knight Shadow]

01:50 AM on 02/02/2011

I love these type of websites. They talk about how they are the " TRUTH " when there is about as much truth in those websites as in an X-Files episode. The problem I see with most of those type of sites is that they don't want the real truth. Finding the you must first start with no / little preconceptions on the subject. That is why a jury trial works. The jury is picked with a lot of things in mind. Here is one of the big ones.

Members of the jury are supposed to be free of bias, have no specific knowledge of the case, and have no connection with any of the parties or witnesses.

It takes an open mind to find the truth. Lets face it tho websites like these don't want "The Truth " they want "Their Truth ". A truth that justifies their bias on the subject.

Websites like this would be the last place I would look for " The Truth ".

[India1148]

10:08 AM on 02/01/2011

Glad to see that their voices are being heard!

[Abo]

08:00 AM on 02/01/2011

Larry Magid? Of the Electric Factory?

[ThaBrainz]

11:55 PM on 01/31/2011

"Egypt: Evolution or Revolution," recently discussed on internet radio show "Center Stage,"
take a listen.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/centerstage/2011/01/31/egypt--evolution-or-revolution