"Social media" – 2 sides of a coin

[Rokcet Scientist]

"Social media" appear to be a major factor in the organisation of the Tunesian protests against their dictator, and may well be instrumental to his stepping down. But he's not going quietly and his people have hacked Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace to identify his opponents and arrest them. This morning an important leader of the protests was easily picked up because he was a fan of "FourSquare"*, and permanently logged on, meaning that his location was permanently visible on a map, 'for his friends', with a 30 foot accuracy...

*similar to "Latitude" from Google.

http://foursquare.com/
https://www.google.com/accounts/Service ... l/latitude

[Minimalist]

See why I don't use Facebook?

[Rokcet Scientist]

See why I don't use Facebook?

Me neither. Or any of those apps or applications. And why I use proxies a lot.
That also means, though, that we're out of the loop with these movements and dependent on 'old', 'slow' media for news...

[Minimalist]

Trade offs. Trade offs.

[Rokcet Scientist]

Trade offs. Trade offs.

GPS and WiFi off if not necessary. Deteriorates triangulation accuracy to about half a mile. Saves juice too.

And for active deception there's the "My Fake Location" app, which generates a programmable GPS location. I'm currently on safari in South Africa, for those who would care to look. So in case any of my dozens of apps, none of which I trust, should poll my GPS position and send it 'home' in the background, they'll think I'm busy shooting Cape buffalo.

Now here's something Tunesian protesters on "FourSquare" could do: if they all install "My Fake Location" and program it to show their collective location to be inside the country's main army barracks, maybe the Tunesian airforce would be ordered to bomb and strafe it good!



Worth a try, isn't it.
FourSquare can't be trusted/used by the 'good guys' now anymore anyway.

[Rokcet Scientist]

Egypt is next, it seems.
But Mubarak's dictatorial government has learnt from Tunisia and blocked a number of social media sites, while lying indignantly through their teeth – as good hypocrites do – that nooo, they would never do a thing like that: stifle free expression...

Let's see them get this toothpaste back into the tube!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12291982

I guess the people may have to resort to tom-toms and smoke signals to get what they want: freedom from oppression and exploitation. Liberation from elitist autocracies.

[Digit]

I suspect that they will simply fall back on the usual method of the Middle East, coup or assassination.

Roy.

[Rokcet Scientist]

I suspect that they will simply fall back on the usual method of the Middle East, coup or assassination.

Same difference: people are going to die.

[Minimalist]

Egypt is next, it seems.

Another US "ally."

[MichelleH]

Egypt is next, it seems.

Another US "ally."

Ah Min, they are a "moderate" US "ally.....

[Digit]

My enemy's enemy is my friend!

Roy.

[Rokcet Scientist]

As long as the US support the dictator Mubarak he will not leave 'voluntarily' like the Tunisian president Ben-Ali (who did not have US support, a much stronger middle class to contend with, and a much more educated/literate population). But observing the numbers, the width and the breadth of the demonstrators in Egypt this thing will become very bloody, whomever wins, people or regime.
And the US will be responsible for that bloodyness, because they've kept, and keep, Mubarak in the saddle.
Guess how many friends the US make that way among the millions.
And how many mortal enemies...
If 9/11 really was what it was purported to be, then we're now looking at the germination of the next 9/11.

The US can end this swiftly, minimizing bloodshed, by very publicly withdrawing support for Mubarak. Trust me, he's already packed, and he's got a fleet of helicopters standing by, engines warmed up and ticking over, to escape with in minutes if need be! If the US don't withdraw support the chaos and bloodshed will be a hundred times worse than it needs to be.

I hope Obama sees this as an opportunity to fundamentally change foreign policy and really do something constructive in global politics. Because if Mubarak goes, handfuls of dictators may be 'persuaded' to 'follow'. Totally changing the game. And history.

But I'm not holding my breath. I have yet to see Obama change any policy fundamentally.

[Rokcet Scientist]

Rumour has it that the Egyptian Ministry of Awqaf, which is in charge of religious endowments, is in cahoots with the Ministry of the Interior and planning to call off Friday prayers as a crowd control measure.
It may be interesting to see what kind of a backlash that will generate.

[Digit]

And the US will be responsible for that bloodyness,

Makes a change from blaming the Jews I suppose.

Roy.

[Minimalist]

This morning's apropos Non Sequitur