Contribution of Facebook to Egypt revolution - Research Paper Example

Contribution of Facebook to Egypt revolution Introduction There were many resources like transportation and citizen motivation to gather information in mass during Egypt revolution, but the most effective one was the use of Facebook as social media network. Although one cannot judge that Egypt revolution was internet-based, Facebook as a social media tool presented an important means to gather information during the 2010 revolution. The Egyptian’s government efforts to improve information technology in the country influenced access to social network. In the year 1999, the government of Egypt initiatives was to ensure free internet, reduce the cost of computers, and implementation of many internet access centers. Researches indicate that in the year 2010, approximately 80 million Egyptian citizens had cell phones, which resulted to easy access to Facebook (Elsayed, 2013). How people communicated via Facebook during Egypt revolution In the year 2000, many Egyptian bloggers were able to tackle critical issue. The first blogs in Egypt were published using English, but following Arabic software development, which encouraged publication of more blogs, hence attracting a large domestic population. Following the growth of these blogs, journalists started using other communication technology such as Facebook. The initial Egyptian-instigated cyber activism trial was on April 2008 whereby, the programmers created the first Facebook page, which attracted approximate of seventy thousand supporters. The Facebook knowledge and experience gained power in social media and became an effective instrument to gather information in 2011 protests resulting to Egypt revolution (Elsayed, 2013). Perhaps, what is most effective resulting from the use of Facebook towards revolution of Egypt is the way it transformed the strategy of social mobilization. Facebook improved speed and interaction in traditional communication technology. The Facebook technology enabled homeland and abroad Egyptians to interact, follow live events, and involve in discussions, which led to revolution of Egypt. However, many experienced programmers created Facebook pages to enable people engage into discussion about the current Egypt situation. This really assisted in bringing Egypt revolution to existence. The expansion of the Facebook pages enabled many citizens to engage themselves in political discussions as well as attracting young politicians. Facebook members used this opportunity to spread information on the current faults of President Mubarak government. This discussion seemed to be of the frustrated citizens as the Facebook population portrayed (Marzouki, Skandrani-Marzouki, Béjaoui, Hammoudi & Bellaj, 2012). Many youthful social media journalists who spread political news via Facebook effectively assisted to initiate Egypt revolution. Egyptian youths, gave guidance on their country’s condition using Facebook technology to avoid regime surveillance, like their counterparts, Tunisian youths. During the 2011 Movement, a population that mostly relied on Facebook to gather political information was the major institutional resources of the movement. Two years later, the movement’s leaders introduced nonviolent movement by designing the association’s logo to bear a resemblance to the Serbian movement logo, which assisted in toppling Slobodan dictatorship. The group members could pay visits to Serbian to meet up the activists. Facebook was the key tool for them to gather and exchange information for better preparations to launch the 2011 protests (Marzouki, Skandrani-Marzouki, Béjaoui, Hammoudi & Bellaj, 2012). Importance of Facebook towards Egypt revolution The main advantage of Facebook technology towards Egypt revolution was its faster means of exchanging information to a large group of both domestic and international Protesters. For example, as Egyptians carefully followed events spread out in Tunisia as they progressed the planning of their protest, the two groups could easily exchange ideas, information, and messages of support online. During revolution of Tunisia, Egyptian activist were on Facebook uploading and posting photos and videos of the ongoing protests in Tunisia. Many Egyptian bloggers posted encouragement messages and phone numbers urging people to send encouragement messages to the Tunisian citizens (Elsayed, 2013). Access to a number of Facebook pages enhanced faster and easy means of sending information, interaction, and encouragement and many other benefits. One of the Facebook page was “January 25” where administrators uploaded videos as a way of introducing themselves to the media and portraying their feelings of support after Tunisia’s achievement with the aim of implementing a triumphant rebellion in Egypt. Therefore, access to these Facebook sites enabled activists to address a large group of account users from different counties across the country within a short duration (Scoville, 2012). Facebook speed and interactivity was not only for uniting Protesters but also as a tool for broadcasting significant safety measures during the movement and means for requesting assistance when in risk. At the beginning of Egyptian revolution, journalists posted Tunisians Protesters’ messages of encouragement on their Facebook timelines along with safety information measures. Among these messages, Tunisia warned Egyptian protesters to protest during the night, avoid killing operations, make use of social media to spread safety messages, and clean their faces using Coca-Cola juice to reduce the side effects of tear gas. Additionally, Egyptian protesters used Facebook technology to signal danger and seek help, and provide both domestic and international protesters with breaking updates. While traditionally, people relied on fax messages, phone calls, or messengers, which were time consuming, Egyptian protesters, were able to address this time issues and improve personal safety by using mobile phones to send Facebook messages to many people at a given time (Arda, 2011). Moreover, Egyptians used Facebook to enhance global interest and attention to the Egypt revolution. They uploaded videos and photos showing revolution progress, updates, and information on police torment to protester. This really helped since the world paid attention to Egypt revolution (Arda, 2011). This ongoing posting of information on Facebook pages enabled both homeland and abroad Egyptians to stay updated on their country’s development. Once again, Facebook brought a key mobilization instrument that protesters used to inform the world about how the revolution events were unfolding. This was a great advancement in technology since the citizens themselves spread messages, photos, and videos about the revolution events and not the group heads or media reporters. When the Egypt government prohibited news reporters from airing information in order to prevent its spread, the protesters using Facebook become the country’s journalists. Citizens were still receiving updates about the ongoing revolution events (Social Media Evolution of the Egyptian Revolution, 2012). The posted messages and photos spreading on Facebook pages seemed to strengthen the unity of Egyptians who were supporting the movement against dictatorial government. At the beginning of the revolution, there was creation of a number of Facebook pages such as “Voice of Egypt Abroad”, and “New United Arab States” to involve the abroad citizens in the movement. Collective population in the cyberspace appeared to achieve an apex for protesters globally soon after the broadcast of the President Mubarak’s resignation. Within a short duration, emotion, pride, and jubilation messages were all over on Facebook pages. Social media technology enhanced the quick spread of announcement of President Mubarak’s resignation and it was the key factor improving Egyptian unity (Social Media Evolution of the Egyptian Revolution, 2012). Conclusion There are doubts that social network played an effective role during the Arab revolution. But when it comes to Egypt, activists had been involved in online interactions and discussions, which enhanced powerful revolution. This new means of collecting information is important during nation’s revolution and other events. Facebook technology provided a faster means of communication for sending and receiving information during the revolution. This social media technology strengthened Egyptians’ unity and enhanced protesters interaction. The spread of information about the ongoing revolution events was via Facebook and the encouraging messages inspired the protesters all over the world. The revolution of Egypt, therefore, portrays the advantages offered by Facebook. Additionally, Facebook assisted in drawing international and local attention to main revolution activities. Use of Facebook established interactivity and speed that could not be experienced using the traditional means of communication such as faxes and messengers. Egyptian journalists were able to stream text, photos, and videos updates continuously via Facebook to millions of protesters. Therefore, Facebook as a means of social media was so effective to ensure successful Egyptian revolution. Perhaps, what is most effective resulting from the use of Facebook towards revolution of Egypt is the way it transformed the strategy of social mobilization. Facebook improved speed and interaction in traditional communication technology. The Facebook technology enabled homeland and abroad Egyptians to interact, follow live events, and involve in discussions, which led to revolution of Egypt. However, many experienced programmers created Facebook pages to enable people engage into discussion about the current Egypt situation. This really assisted in bringing Egypt revolution to existence. References Arda, Z. (2011). Yo soy mi imagen 2.0: Aproximación a formas contemporáneas de construir la identidad humana. Elsayed, Y. (2013). Revolutionary Media on a Budget: Facebook-only Social Journalism. Arab Media & Society, (17), 1. Marzouki, Y., Skandrani-Marzouki, I., Béjaoui, M., Hammoudi, H., & Bellaj, T. (2012). The contribution of Facebook to the 2011 Tunisian revolution: a cyberpsychological insight. Cyberpsychology, Behavior And Social Networking, 15(5), 237-244. doi:10.1089/cyber.2011.0177 Salanova, R. (2012). Social media and political change: The case of the 2011 revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt. Scoville, S. (2012). Elisabeth Kendall. Literature, Journalism and the Avant-Garde: Intersection in Egypt. London: Routledge, 2006. Pp. viii+279. Journal Of Arabic Literature, 43(2/3), 538-539. doi:10.1163/1570064x-12341249 Social Media Evolution of the Egyptian Revolution. (2012). Communications of the ACM, 55(5), 74-80. doi:10.1145/2160718.2160736 Tawil-Souri, H. (2012). Egypt's Uprising and the Shifting Spatialities of Politics. Cinema Journal, 52(1), 160-166. Read More