February 28, 2006
SMS still a political tool in the Philippines
Mobile phone text messages helped mobilize hundreds of thousands of Filipinos in 2001 to a massive street protest that swept out former president Joseph Estrada on corruption allegations, replacing him with Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, reports inq7.net.
Five years later, text messaging again is proving an indispensable political tool for disseminating news -- and wild rumors -- while mobilizing supporters.
... Arroyo's camp has tried to crack down on text messages before, saying they were being used to incite sedition, but hasn't really figured out a way to do it without sparking a public outcry."
A Reuters article points out that according to military intelligence officials, retired soldiers have tried to recruit military rebels by texting them.
Related:
-- Text messaging in the Philippines explained
-- Text messages shape politics in Philippines
-- New Disruptive Political Texting Tools From Philippines?
-- President says she uses textmessaging to run gov't
-- Text Brigades and Youth texters fuel Presidential campaigns in the Philippines
-- The Philippines - still world's text capital
-- Philippines overturning government with a ringtone (and a car horn!)
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