The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (but it might be twittered).

Recent events in Tunisia and Egypt have brought discussions of the role of social media in bringing political change. A recent article in Foreign Affairs entitled "The Political Power of Social Media" points to the importance of social media as powerful organizing tools for civil society worldwide. The technologies are new and there are not yet enough examples to draw definitive conclusions about their effect. The author suggests that we should support an open internet and freedom of communication worldwide without using it for country specific or short term goals.

Social media has shifted the balance of power between the state and civil society by providing space for discussion and agreement among politically engaged citizens. For authoritarian regimes, the ability to create and disseminate political documents has turned "open secrets" into "public facts," and governments must now account for anomalies between its view of events and the public's. The prevalence of camera phones has made it harder for governments to carry out undocumented crackdowns.

Social media increases shared awareness, which creates a problem for those in power. This is commonly known as the Dictator's Dilemma. Shutting down Internet access or banning all cell phones during a crackdown risks radicalizing otherwise pro-regime citizens or harming the economy. Popular culture heightens the dilemma. Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society calls this "the cute cat theory of digital activism." We should work to heighten the dictator's dilemma by encouraging social media in general.

There are concerns about the effectiveness of social media in bringing democratization. Some see "slactivism." It is easy to sign on to a cause (Save Darfur) on Facebook when no further action is required. Another concern is that the state is gaining more sophisticated ways of monitoring and co-opting these tools. The result could be the strengthening of the authoritarian regime. There is also a potential for such technologies to be manipulated or used in dangerous ways. Al Qaeda, the Mexican drug cartels, the Mafia, and the Taliban are effectively using technology to bring new recruits, terrify local populations, and threaten democratic institutions.

The role of media and political participation fits into our discussion of Citizens, Society and the State.