The Online Investing AI Blog

The Iranian Revolution–or what appears to be a revolution–isn’t just being televised; it’s being Twittered, Facebooked, Flickred, and MySpaced.

This may be the first time that social networking has played such a critical role in social upheaval. Iranians, mad at rigged election results and highly censored, are using Twitter as one of their communication vehicles.

During a 15-minute span, I watched thousands of messages of solidarity on Twitter. I received links to evidence of vote tampering and editorials. I watched protests. Actual, courageous revolutionaries were telling me about their experiences during protests.

Bloody pictures were accessible, too.

Here’s how Anidea is describing it:

To Ahmadinejad’s chagrin, information, images and video are pouring out of Iran at an incredible rate, generating controversy and dominating reporting at both international news organizations and the mainstream media.  Perhaps more impressive is that this tremendous outflow of Iranian sentiment within social media has achieved what years of political and economic isolation could not: sowing the seeds of real reform and debate in Iranian society.  Faced with the demands of the Iranian people for greater transparency, even the Ayatollah and the Iranian government are calling for a probe into the election results. Historic indeed.

This is powerful stuff. And how appropriate.

The old regime is a mix of ruling elites and religious bullies. The new order represents technology and unity and freedom.

While I am encouraged, I’m not convinced. The next step is to see whether posts and pics, videos and wall posts can beat guns and grenades. Because that’s what’s next.

These forces of oppression seem totally inept at stopping the young Iranians from using technology or from using it to their own ends. How long, however, will it take for them to resort to using their strengths: brute force.

In other words, how long will it take for those forces to go Medieval 2.0?