| The 2011 Egyptian Revolution captured the world's attention, not just because of its political and social significance, but also because of the unprecedented use of social media tools by the organizers of the protests. In particular, the role of Twitter and Facebook, two American-created social networking tools, in a revolution halfway around the world seemed to fascinate the media. A full-fledged debate about whether their role in the Egyptian Revolution was that of a star-player or a nonessential second-stringer broke out in the blogosphere. What was largely missing from this debate, however, was a thorough examination of how and why these tools where used in Egypt, and what this may tell us about the way social media is changing the relationship between the government and the people on a global scale. |
