Twitter Egypt Revolution
Case: #mena #arabspring and the social network revolutions
The Arab Spring 2.0 revolution was exactly that, a revolution. Through utilizing the scope of social networks reach the power of the people was finally propelled. Having the same kind of ripple effect of any other meme or program, yet with a cause and suppressed voices finally being heard.
CBeing termed the 2.0 revolution, The Arab Spring, makes one think what exactly drove the initiative and what differentiates this with previous online cries for help. Its simple: these nations effectively utilized social media to communicate on a global scale their hardships and organize a calculated uprising. They successfully increased awareness of the states attempt at repression and complete Internet censorship.
This interactive timeline, “The Path to Protest”, created by Guardian Journalists Garry Blight, Sheila Pulham and Paul Torpey divulge into the Arab Spring in a sequential interactive timeline, that surpasses any explanation I could ever detail. You can basically allocate some time within the day to further educate yourself on the finer details of the revolution.
In many aspects of this 2.0 revolution one can perceive this initiative as a form of slacktivism, however it extends far beyond this, through the integration of physical people power, organised movement & the strategic utilisation of social media. Not only this, but there was a real cause to be supported.
What do you believe to be the driving force behind the success of the Arab Spring?
Zoe McCausland DIGC202 Blog 
What do you believe to be the driving force behind the success of the Arab Spring?
People. More specifically motivated people. The driving force behind the Arab Spring, in my opinion, was the people who were being effected by these events, and how they co-ordinated online and followed through physically.
Their interaction with social media combined with the actual physical back-up equalled the success. ‘Slacktivism’ to me is where the awareness and motivation never meet. People can be aware of something, but still not be motivated enough to commit to doing anything about it. Within the case of the Arab Spring, they had a population who were communicating in real time, in the places where the events were taking place, and being affected by it. This fostered motivation and increased the need to use social media in order to maintain that motivation.
People power, of course (oh and the internet). Without people standing up to the government – there would have been no revolution. Without the Internet – People would have no voice. Combine the two and you have yourself a force to be reckoned with. Access to the internet was vital as the Egyptian Government shut it down, mobile devices came into play and used GPRS data – It can’t be shutdown (unless there’s a solar storm, then we’re all screwed).
Not to state the obvious (or what has been stated already) here, but the people involved are without a doubt, the driving force behind the success of the Arab Spring. I think that Slacktivism comes about when a message or cause that is spread online loses its meaning, or is taken out of context. That is, when the phenomena of the cause being on social media, becomes more prominant in people’s minds than the actual thing itself.
What do you believe to be the driving force behind the success of the Arab Spring? Agreeing with everyone else on this one; people. I think one of the most important points you raise is that it was the utilisation of social media that propelled the people, but it was the integration of this utilisation, physical people power and organised movement that really caused this uprising. The integration is the key, as the lack of it leaves us with acts of slacktivism and clicktivism. In such cases, social media should be treated as a tool to be utilised for awareness and organisation, but it is the people themselves who really hold the power as it is their motivation and actions that really push the cause.