Between a Rock and a Cell Phone: Social Media Use during Mass Protests in Iran, Tunisia and Egypt

Kavanaugh, Andrea and Yang, Seungwon and Sheetz, Steven and Li, Lin Tzy and Fox, Edward (2011) Between a Rock and a Cell Phone: Social Media Use during Mass Protests in Iran, Tunisia and Egypt . Technical Report TR-11-10, Computer Science, Virginia Tech.

Abstract

In this paper we examine the use of social media, and especially Twitter, in Iran, Tunisia and Egypt during the mass political demonstrations and protests in June 2009, December 2010 - January 2011, and February 2011, respectively. We compare this usage with methods and findings from other studies on the use of Twitter in emergency situations, such as natural and man-made disasters. We draw on our own experiences and participant-observations as an eyewitness in Iran (first author), and on Twitter data from Iran, Tunisia and Egypt. In these three cases, Twitter filled a unique technology and communication gap at least partially. We summarize suggested directions for future research with a view of placing this work in the larger context of social media use in conditions of crisis and social convergence.