Iran Vs social media, Guerilla tactics 2.0

The Iranian election brings forward an interesting issue. For the first time ever, social media has a clear edge on larger professional media outlets for the coverage of a major political event.
What's been happening

After the election, protests were organized throughout the country. As a response the protests, the government has decided to:
- block sms messages
- cut phone communications from Tehran (reestablished but unstable after Sunday)
- block satelite tv
- block traffic to social sites (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, etc)
- ask journalists to leave the country

The goal of the Iranian authorities is to prevent the organization of large scale protests, as well as lower their impact.

Social media comes in

As a response to the media lockdown, locals have been looking for ways to spread information.

Twitter has shown its true power: openness.
There are thousands of ways to update the service. Anyone with a few technical skills can setup a way to post there.
Unlike other media, Twitter has enabled people to reach large crowds by using any means available: email updates, mobile, web clients, desktop clients.

Anyone can send information, and there is virtually no way to censor it, apart from banning the whole Internet and the phone network.

And what if that happens? There are ways around Internet censorship.

On Slashdot, Iranians have asked how to setup Mesh networks and use Wifi. Back during the Chinese olympics, the Chaos Computer Club (well known German hacker group) had created the "Freedom Stick" for journalists.

That is the original purpose of the Internet: to allow communication in case of massive disruption in telecommunications.
This is guerilla tactics 2.0

The fact that people's mobiles are capable of shooting pictures, videos and sending text updates turns anyone into a potential reporter. It's easier to send away a white journalist and a camera crew, than to prevent a local from using his mobile phone.

This is the first time in a revolt where the opponents can leverage free flowing information and reach the whole world.

It also opens a whole new can of worms. Both sides are free to send false information. Trolls, and intelligence services can leverage the new large networks.

It will be interesting to see how this will develop in the coming weeks.