(Reuters) - A Google executive who became the face of the Egyptian democratic uprisings earlier this year said on Monday that social networking was now a key to political activism. "You can't keep a dictatorship alive in the highly connected 21st century," Wael Ghonim said in Boston. Ghonim accepted the John F. Kennedy Library's "Profiles in Courage" award on behalf of the Egyptian people, who stood up in January and February to help topple the regime of President Hosni Mubarak. The award honors slain President John F. Kennedy, whose 1957 Pulitzer Prize-winning book by the same name profiled U.S. senators who worked across party lines on unpopular issues. Past recipients include former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation chairman Sheila Bair. Ghonim, 30, helped crystallize Egypt's political movement, in part, by creating a Facebook page in June 2010 that condemned the violent killing of an Alexandria businessman by Egyptian police. The page, "We are all Khaled Said," later became a vehicle to promote democracy and organize large-scale pro-democracy protests in Cairo, including a "Day of Revolt" on Jan 25 that drew tens of thousands of ordinary Egyptians onto the streets. "Wael's single act provided the spark for countless others, and a movement began to build," said Caroline Kennedy, the president's daughter and head of the JFK Library Foundation. "The people of Egypt used the power of citizen activism to break down barriers of isolation and fear." Ghonim was detained by Egyptian police for 11 days during the uprisings, but released after pressure from international human rights groups as well as his company. "The younger generation in the Arab world sent a strong message to every dictator," Ghonim said. "The struggle for freedom in Egypt isn't over yet," he added. Also lauded at the awards on Monday was Elizabeth Redenbaugh, a North Carolina school board member who stood up -- ultimately in vain -- against what she perceived as racial segregation in school redistricting plans. (Reporting by Ros Krasny; Editing by Greg McCune) http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/23/us-usa-egypt-award-idUSTRE74M5UF20110523
I think social networks create an arena where solid, superior ideas will trump the tired, old, lame inferior ideas....and I mean ideas on everything: religion, government, freedom, racism, sexism. There are so many doom and gloomers on here, and in society. I don't see the world situation that way. I feel like we are on the verge of major improvements in human relationships. Good ideas and wisdom will prevail. Sure, there will probably always be dumbasses like Glenn Beck who will never have the ability or humility to grow in wisdom, but there is something big and good happening in the world
Im not on facebook, but I can say I have seen the posts people write and to me everything is pretty much useless dribble. So you think whats coming out of these social networking sites is going to bring improvements into society? Maybe another society 8000 miles away, but not here in the US, unless you think people posting pics of what they are eating for breakfast means much or that someone is doing zumba for the first time at this very second is going to be a major movement for society, I feel really sorry for you!
50% off from its highs, is that a sale or is it going to the single digits, maybe it will trade down another 20% and then jump to $1000 a share like BIDU just around the time facebook is going public. Renren Inc. American Depositary (NYSE: RENN ) After Hours: 12.41 Up 0.01 (0.08%) 4:40PM EDT Last Trade: 12.40 Trade Time: 4:00PM EDT Change: Down 0.60 (4.62%) Prev Close: 13.00 Open: 12.48 Bid: 12.35 x 3900 Ask: 12.41 x 1700 1y Target Est: N/A Day's Range: 12.30 - 12.68 52wk Range: 12.00 - 24.00 Volume: 4,655,850 Avg Vol (3m): 18,812,800 Market Cap: 4.86B P/E (ttm): N/A EPS (ttm): -0.94 Div & Yield: N/A (N/A)
BIDU enjoys the protection/support of China's gov't, because Google got booted when they wouldn't let the communist gov't spy on their user's e-mail. Facebook has...you know... ....... Facebook.
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange claims that Facebook is complacent in providing the U.S. government with a way to spy on its citizens, calling it "the most appalling spying machine ever invented." http://www.pcworld.com/article/226878/julian_assange_facebook_is_an_appalling_spying_machine.html
Essentially, if the Government demands certain information facebook will bend over and let them have it.
So Assange wants the government to be more transparent, but not people to be more transparent. Facebook wants the world to be transparent. Assange hates Facebook. Have I got it right so far?