In his recent video The Tribes we Lead, Seth Godin makes a remark about how the influence we create on the web might be as complex as overthrowing a government..

A throwaway line perhaps but I tuned in because I knew for example that Ukraine's Orange Revolution of 2004 had developed among a network of people structured in such a way that the elimination of any node (by arrest or bombing) would impact the overall movement. Arpanet from which the internet of today derives was a defence strategy with precisely the same objectives in defence of a nation and its dependence on information.

Back in 1996, a digital activist made the point in a white paper, that future sustainability in the developing world would be dependent on information and that those disenfranchised from the information age, would replace those left outside the industrial revolution become marginalised to the point of threatening our own security.

Twitter, it's claimed is now being used to orchestrate a new democratic movement in Iran. Perhaps this is so, but focussing on one product, a small part of the infrastructure is to miss the bigger picture.

Recently many considered Gordon Brown's claim, that web access was as indispensable as gas, electricity and water to be bordering on ridiculous. Perhaps it could have been expressed better. Nevertheless, we understand that the internet is very much part of of societal infrastructure.

In October 2006, for example this statement was part of a paper calling for US support in fostering a transitional democracy in Eastern Europe. A 'smart power' initiative, much aligned with the ideals of a President yet to be.

"Ukraine is in urgent need of nationwide high-speed Internet at an affordable cost. This does not exist in Ukraine at this time. Availability of affordable, modern day Internet access is crucial to any nation's economic development. This is by now a truism and does not need much elaboration. It is enough to understand that nothing whatsoever can happen in terms of social, economic, civic, and political development without communication. To the extent that communication is limited or completely absent, development is equally limited. If demonstration of this is needed, each reader is invited to do the following. For the next week, do not speak, do not write, do not read, do not listen to or access any form of communication in any way. With those restrictions, it might still be possible to survive for a week. Extend the same restrictions indefinitely, and basic survival will be at risk. It is almost impossible to imagine life without communications of any kind."

Very soon after, state controls on wireless networks were removed and broadband, affordable by the general public was on the menu Until then the author had been obliged to work at night when cheaper dialup rates were available.

What he wrote and pitched at two governments was a social product, funded by social enterprise from the UK. Without the web it would not have been possible to organise and support and the social outcome to date could hardly have been imaginable.

http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=130202

All is changing, people, nations, climate, religions, traditions etc.

The veil is up and we all want truth and integrity from all that surrounds us.

So I guess it is over for the traditional politicians and elites.

We don't want any of them anymore and we will force change if necessary.

That is the revolution.

Not so fast. The Iranian authorities are shutting off as many of these sources as possible, as well as using the good old fashioned technique of simply imprisoning the sources. For example Amir Sadeghi, the brave photojournalist who runs the http://tehranlive.org blog, has gone missing.

Also, just plain shooting protesters down in the street has evidently not lost its appeal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMdXvMhsFJI

The "Islamic Republic" has lasted longer than the Shah, and has clearly shown that religious oligrachies are every bit as corrupt, barbaric, and secretive as secular ones.

I hope the people of Iran are able to free themselves of dictatorship soon.

Great look at all the media issues involved in the Iran.  At the Acton School of Business, we have yet another way of looking at it -- how the current situation in Iran highlights how conflict and hardship can spur entrepreneurship.  For more on our take, check out our blog:  http://tiny.cc/NSvQM 

I appreciate Martin's comment. My mother visited Iran in the 90s and found the same reaction as she met Iranians--she gave talks on it. So I've always taken the negative media on Iran with a huge grain of salt. I am glad that Twitter has been of service so that some freedom of expression can get out to the world, unbiased and sincere.