The Iran Election: The Power of The Social Web

The built to the election was colored by a very active social web with a lot of comments on the state of it. The activity of alternative media has been striking and truly remarkable. Still what I am yet to see is an fully effective linkage of the outside and inside media, to foster a discussion between the citizens of the world regardless where they are. The coverage of the Iranian Elections have come close, yet not very surprising considering the strength of the Persian blogosphere early on. They have had to adapt to technology early as well as being on the edge of it due to the massive filtering of the web.

Why this is so important? I was brought up and raised in a country - Sweden - where I have been able to read whatever I want to, and have (at least the right to) my own opinion. It is actually encouraged to question what is going (within limits here) and seek injustices. I have become who I am because I’ve lived in a country where that is possible, and more importantly, because I know I have (or the very least should have) the right to do so.

Consider some boy or girl in a developing country, emerging democracy, who might be living in state run by a dictator, corrupt regime or even just a troubled area. By troubled area I mainly refer to an occupied territory. What kinds of information will that boy or girl have access too? Who will provide this information? Will it be accurate? Will it be diverse? Will it be free and uncensored? What difference between that information and the information I can see, hear or read is there? Will they feel as entitled as I do to both access and to create that information? Who knows… What I know is that they should have the choice. At least in my opinion. That is their right. That really should be their right.

Unfortunately, alternative news sources in media are a rare occasion in the world. Too rare. However, via cellphones you will be able to share news, as the cellphones are ubiquitous, immediate and simple. By creating a tool for anyone in the entire world to share their stories at anytime from anywhere about anything you will start to bridge this media divide and create a more diverse media scene. We definitely need it.

It is something that is very important as everyone has the right to have an opinion and the right to express it. The freedom of expression. The freedom of speech. The freedom of the individual.

it is truly a very important part of our global shared information future that we start to resolve the digital divide. It is important to realize that we do not have the right for an intellectual and/or digital colonization where we postulate solutions. The solutions should be affordable, freely accessible, and compatible with the local social patterns.

It is therefore inspiring to see the coverage of the Iranian elections on the social web.