Iran's Twitter Revolution

By Michelle Giametta on 06/29/2009

In a recent Daily News article Helen Kennedy reports that, "The [Iran] regime is under threat after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won a suspiciously huge landslide in the June 12 election, sparking accusations of vote rigging and days of mass protests." Since the election the people of Iran have been vehemently protesting and demanding a recount.

The Iranian government's plan to subdue activists and intimidate protesters backfired when Neda Soltani's "...shocking and quick death in the arms of her howling father was captured on closeup video, posted to Facebook and came to life on computer screens across the globe." Since the viral release of this graphic video, Neda has become the face of the Iranian revolution- inspiring and motivating activists to continue their protest against the Iranian government.

Videos and pictures taken from camera phones similar to the graphic video of Neda have been popping up all over new media sites like Facebook, YouTube and most importantly Twitter. These symbolic images have energized the Iranian people's cause and have helped to create momentum to continue their fight no matter how dangerous it may be. If it weren't for these new media sites the American public and the rest of the world would know little, if anything, about this serious uprising.

It is important to note that a vast majority of the tweets and protest signs are written in English. The Iranian people are hoping to garner support from America and its allies to back their revolutionary efforts. The Iranian protesters need help from America and other powerful nations like China and Russia to put enough pressure on the Iranian government through sanctions.

Even as I write this article, new tweets about the Iran Revolution are flooding my Twitter page. Twitter has enabled the rest of the world to experience this revolution in real time. Reading the tweets pouring into the "#iranrevolution" topic board is gut wrenching. There is even a "twitition" encouraging twitter members to sign a twitter petition that is urging Google Earth to update their satellite images of Tehran. The petitions mission stating, "Since the Iranian government is blocking internet access Google should update the satellite images so people can follow the movement of protesters."

Achmadinejad and the Iranian regime have made a conscious effort to block, control and manipulate information coming in and out of Iran for years. However, the regime can't seem to keep up with the technologically savvy Iranian population, where 66% of the people are 30 years old or younger.

If it is true that there is power in numbers then we must hold on to the hope that the Iranian protesters will succeed and Democracy will prevail against a brutal and oppressive regime.

[Additional Photos: Punz/AP, 2009; Reuters, 2009; Jebreili/AP, 2009]