Erkan was on TV last night, briefly discussing social media’s role on the uprising in Egypt and Tunis…

It was NTV news with Can Dündar. My sister recorded the session here.

Stating the obvious that social media had a central role in organizing the demonstrations. Since conventional media was under the control of the veteran authoritarian regime, there could not be any other media. And social media is harder to control and there are always new tools to circumvent the censorship. The best is to pull internet’s plug off but then the state itself cannot live. Internet is not part of life both for the states and the citizens. And even then the message is out. Faxes, leaflets etc anything can be used until social media is back. Social Media is also like a new tool of rumor spreading. A faster tool authorities are having difficulties to stop. And, I also added,  social media is more than ever integrated into the social fabric. When it is stopped, TV (Al-Jazeera) continues to drive and the latter in return is fed by social media productions of the citizens…Finally, against the deniers of web’s role in protests that , it was easy to ask why then there is a total internet shutdown  in Egypt. Anyway, it seems that I will attend a longer session on social media and social movements on Friday morning in TRT Haber. I will let you know;)