Iran’s Twitter Revolution

Iran’s Twitter Revolution

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Forget CNN or any of the major American "news" networks. If you want to get the latest on the opposition protests in Iran, you should be reading blogs, watching YouTube or following Twitter updates from Tehran, minute-by-minute.

Some absolutely riveting and thrilling reporting has been done over Twitter by a university student in Tehran who goes by the moniker Tehran Bureau. The Iranian authorities shut his website down over the weekend and he was attacked by hard-line militias but he’s been able to send short posts around the world over Twitter. Via Micah Sifry, here is a list of Iranian bloggers who’ve been twittering about the clashes between opposition protesters and government forces loyal to Mahmud Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ali Khameini. I found out about many of these sites thanks to the great twittering by Tom Mattzie, formerly of MoveOn.org

In the US, bloggers such as The Atlantic’s Andrew Sullivan and the Huffington Post’s Nico Pitney have surpassed most traditional news organizations by posting around the clock updates. They’ve relied on incredible YouTube footage from inside Iran, like this one of a pro-Mousavi rally today.

Outside the US, the likes of the BBC and Britain’s Channel 4 have also done brave and courageous reporting, often shooting on their cell phones and in the backs of cars, as the Iranian regime clamps down on coverage of the apparently rigged election and its volatile aftermath.

It’s been amazing to watch this coverage amidst all the turmoil. I’m not sure what the Iranian regime expected when they fixed the election, but the outpouring of texts, tweets and video from Tehran has sparked a worldwide solidarity movement. Whatever the outcome, there is no going back.

UPDATE: Also read Marc Ambinder’s post on the topic.

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