August 28, 2006
Text Messages Guide Filipino Protesters
Cellphones and text messaging are changing the way political mobilizations are conducted around the world. From Manila to Riyadh and Kathmandu protests once publicized on coffeehouse bulletin boards are now organized entirely through text-messaging networks that can reach vast numbers of people in a matter of minutes. The Washington Post reports.
"The technology is also changing the organization and dynamics of protests, allowing leaders to control, virtually minute-by-minute, the movements of demonstrators, like military generals in the field. Using texts that communicate orders instantly, organizers can call for advances or retreats of waves of protesters.
This tool has changed the balance of political power in places where governments have a history of outmuscling dissent. In April, Nepal's King Gyanendra ordered authorities to cut cellphone service after protesters against his absolute rule used text messages to help assemble street protests by tens of thousands of democracy advocates.
The Philippines, widely called the text-messaging center of the world, has led the way. When President Joseph Estrada was forced from office in 2001, he bitterly complained that the popular uprising against him was a "coup de text."
... Every major Philippine political party and nonprofit group has a database of its supporters' cellphone numbers. Many use computers to automatically generate mass text mailings to those phones with news about issues or rallies or upcoming votes."
Related articles on text messaging and politics in the Philippines:
-- SMS still a political tool in the Philippines
-- 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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