(Likes/Dislikes) Social Networking and the Arab Spring

            As a politics student, I have been intrigued by technology’s ability to both help and hurt countries, their governments, and their citizens. These two opposite ends of the spectrum have brought me to like and dislike the advancements of technology.
             During the Arab Spring, modern communications and social networking allowed citizens of oppressed governments in North Africa and the Middle East to express their discontent with standards of living and lack of democratic processes. In this way, technology, specifically through the advancements in social networking mediums, such as Facebook and Twitter, has brought positive change to humanity. Protestors utilized these sites to communicate and advance their cause through organized protests and sometimes violent uprisings.
             Unfortunately, however, technology can also detrimentally affect the lives of those living under oppressive regimes. For example, governments can censor specific websites or media outlets, which greatly inhibit citizens’ abilities to have a public checks and balance system on their governments. For example, in North Korea, the communist government has virtually cut its citizens off from the outside word by censoring and blocking foreign websites and media outlets. This allows the government to control the dissemination of information and retain their tight grip on power over their people.
            It is incredible to see that a simple advancement, such as social networking, can be used in both positive and negative ways. However, as is the often the case, the situation is determined by who holds power. In the U.S. (barring the passage of legislations such as SOPA, PIPA, or ACTA), the internet is more or less in the hands of the people, free from government interference. In other nations, however, the people are not so lucky.

Wheeler, David. "In the Arab Spring’s Wake, Twitter Trolls and Facebook Spies." Chronicle of Higher Education. http://chronicle.com/blogs/planet/2011/11/29/in-the-arab-springs-wake-twitter-trolls-and-facebook-spies/.