textually.org: SMS and the March 2004 Spanish general elections

August 28, 2006

SMS and the March 2004 Spanish general elections

Can SmartMobs using instant messaging change the outcome of an Election? Yes, according to Andre Serranho who writes a detailed account of March 2004 Spanish Elections. [via Smart Mobs]

"In the March Elections, SMS messaging was used to bring down the incumbent prime minister who was comfortably ahead in the polls until March 11, when Spain woke in horror as ten bombs blew up in commuter trains."

Panic spread throughout Spain—and the world. Only after five hours painful hours the prime minister comes forth, accusing the Basque terrorist group: it was the proof that his party’s hard line against ETA terrorists had been justified.

While the goverment tried to say the bombings were from ETA terrorists - internal groups - rumors began to spread, fueled by SMS messaging, that the Spanish goverment had lied.

Saturday, March 13 should have been a calm reflection day before the elections. Instead, as evidences contradicting the government thesis kept appearing, many started to wonder about the honesty of the officials’ declarations: simply put, had the terrorist attack come from ETA, it would benefit their political agenda; had it come from Al-Qaeda, it would be a severe blow. Around noon, the first SMS with the simple message: The government lied. Pass it on.

Picture from AlJazeerah.