• Mubarak's Digital Dilemma: Why Egypt's Internet Controls Failed

• Morillon names three factors that likely pushed Egypt back online: First, Egypt’s government faced the embarrassment of ignoring international pressure, including from its fairweather friends in the U.S. State Department, to restore its Internet. Second, its economy suffered from its self-imposed Internet exile; Just two days ago, the country shut down its last Internet working service provider, Noor, which hosted many banks and multi-nationals including Coca-Cola and Egypt Air.

   

  But most importantly, Egypt’s Internet blackout simply came too late to be effective. “Protesters were in the streets,” she says. “If they were afraid that the Internet would be used as a tool of mobilization, it had already played that role.”
• As she summarizes it, “If they allow Internet to spread within the country, it poses a threat to their regime. If they don’t, they are cut off from the world–economically and socially.”

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• • Social media was an important influence that help spread the word rapidly for real world action.
• and the recent 2011 events in Egypt that led to the ousting of Mubarak. In both cases of political unrest, the internet and mainly social media were considered an important influence that helped spark and organize the protests
• traditional mass and digital media and challenges faced by journalists in covering the Egyptian political uprising.
• While working for the state-run newspaper "Al-Ahram," she set up her independent blog known as "Ala Baab Allah" to gather and deliver news without being affiliated with the government.
• She cites several journalists who lose their jobs or were imprisoned for challenging the reign of former President Hosni Mubarak
• The author highlights Ibrahim's involvement in protests and updates on the social media platform Twitter.
• During the first few days of the uprising, the regime shut down cell phone and Internet networks to prevent activists from communicating, but it could not stop their taking pictures and filming with cell phones and cameras.
• Subsequently video materials became crucial pieces of evidence in the courtroom where the former President Mubarak and ex-Interior Minister Adly were being tried.

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• Labor strikes and worker protests that flared across Egypt on Wednesday affected post offices, textile factories and even the government's flagship newspaper, providing a burst of momentum to protesters demanding the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak, even as his government pushed back with greater force against the opponents' demands.

• • Facebook and Twitter being used for political organization
• Topics include the crowds gathering in Tahrir Square in Egypt, the use of online social networks such as Facebook and Twitter for political organization, and the quality of the images coming from the cell phones of demonstrators and their ability to rally democratic feeling and change.
• Those statements, along with the damage to Egypt's economy, appeared to weaken Mr. Mubarak's grip on power just two weeks after a group of young political organizers called on Facebook for a day of protest inspired by the ouster of another Arab strongman, in Tunisia.

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• Egypt Erupts in Jubilation as Mubarak Steps Down
• CAIRO — An 18-day-old revolt led by the young people of Egypt ousted President Hosni Mubarak on Friday, shattering three decades of political stasis here and overturning the established order of the Arab world.

• Egypt blocks social media websites in attempted clampdown on unrest

     

  Facebook, Google, Hotmail and Twitter among services blocked by government, report users
• Mobile phone users film riot police blocking press photographers during a second day of protests in Cairo. Photograph: Ben Curtis/AP

   

     

   
• Twitter, YouTube, Hotmail, Google, Chinese search engine Baidu and a "proxy service" – which would allow users to evade obvious restrictions – appeared to be blocked from inside the country, according to reports on the site.

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• From the beginning, the revolution in Egypt was propelled by the use of social media. It at least partly began on Facebook with the creation of Facebook groups that gained hundreds of thousands of members and promoted the early protests in Cairo.
• Egyptian President Steps Down Amidst Groundbreaking Digital Revolution
• Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has stepped down, more than two weeks after the protests that began January 25 in the country — and launched a flood of #Jan25 and #Egypt tweets as well as media coverage that broke the mold — to remove the president from power.
• From the beginning, the revolution in Egypt was propelled by the use of social media. It at least partly began on Facebook with the creation of Facebook groups that gained hundreds of thousands of members and promoted the early protests in Cairo.

• Subsequently, the government blocked Facebook and Twitter and eventually shut down Internet access completely. And with the outside world following the unfolding revolution online, political leaders and others, including Twitter, spoke out against the violence and freedom of expression issues at risk.

   
• But even a government shut down couldn't keep the news from flowing. Twitter and Facebook users found ways to work around the blackout. Though, eventually access was completely restored.
• history itself has been recorded instantaneously, as reporters took to Twitter to share 140-character updates and personal stories from the protests.
• But Al Jazeera had its "CNN Moment," and although it couldn't reach viewers in the U.S. by cable television, it found a way to viewers — on YouTube.
• • People found ways to use the internet even when it was brought down by the government.
• Images of the turmoil spread around the world via Flickr and Youtube, too. A
• Without a doubt, social media, mobile devices and the web have brought the stories from Egypt closer to home. And conversely, the events in Egypt have shown the strength of these tools for both organizing and informing people.
• Using VPN, proxy sites, third party apps and other tools, they were able to continue sharing news with those of us on the outside. And at the same time, the rest of the world found ways to use tech to curate and disseminate information.

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• CAIRO — An 18-day-old revolt led by the young people of Egypt ousted President Hosni Mubarak on Friday, shattering three decades of political stasis here and overturning the established order of the Arab world.

• Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world, and its revolution in February 2011 deposing the country’s longtime strongman, Hosni Mubarak, was the capstone event of the Arab Spring, inspiring demonstrators in Libya, Syria and elsewhere.

• Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters have clashed with police in Cairo and other cities in the largest demonstration in Egypt in a generation. Demonstrators want an end to the authoritarian president Hosni Mubarak's near 30 years of power.
• • The Egyptian government has reportedly blocked Twitter – which protester used to coordinate movements – and shut down mobile phone and internet networks.
• As midnight approaches in Cairo thousands of protesters are still occupying the Tahrir Square, vowing to remain in place until the government falls.
• "They are waiting for numbers to dwindle, and then they will switch off the street lights and charge," warned Ahmed Salah, a veteran activist.
• It's a matter of life and death now – what happens over the next 24 hours will be vital to the history of this country. It's a very emotional moment for me."

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• Social networks credited with role in toppling Egypt's Mubarak

     
• Activists used Facebook, Twitter, YouTube to mobilize during protests

• analysts and some of the Egyptian protestors said he'd still be in charge if not for the power of social networking.

    
• During a time of unrest that saw Mubarak's regime disconnect Egypt from the Internet for several days, social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter served as critical tools for the people seeking to topple the long-time ruler.
• their creativity, talent and technology to call for a government that represented their hopes and not their fears."
• "I certainly do not think he would have left office at this point if it wasn't for social networking tools,"

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• • Subsequently video materials became crucial pieces of evidence in the courtroom where the former President Mubarak and ex-Interior Minister Adly were being tried.
• • During the first few days of the uprising, the regime shut down cell phone and Internet networks to prevent activists from communicating, but it could not stop their taking pictures and filming with cell phones and cameras. Every moment was carefully recorded, and today multiple initiatives are collecting films, photos, and audio recordings to preserve them in digital archives. 
• The government of Egypt's authoritarian president, Hosni Mubarak, shook Monday night, as the Egyptian Army declared that it would not use force against protesters demanding his ouster and, in an apparent response, Mr. Mubarak's most trusted adviser offered to talk with the opposition.

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• • Facebook was inspired to be used after is worked in Tunisia
• The government of Egypt's authoritarian president, Hosni Mubarak, shook Monday night, as the Egyptian Army declared that it would not use force against protesters demanding his ouster and, in an apparent response, Mr. Mubarak's most trusted adviser offered to talk with the opposition. Those statements, along with the damage to Egypt's economy, appeared to weaken Mr. Mubarak's grip on power just two weeks after a group of young political organizers called on Facebook for a day of protest inspired by the ouster of another Arab strongman, in Tunisia.

• • Mashable has a valid autor and other websites  agree with the information inside.
• Accessing blocked sites through proxy servers seems to be the most common way that users are bypassing the blocks. Twitter PR acknowledged that though their traffic has diminished from Egypt, users were tapping into proxies and apps to tweet. Facebook users in Egypt were sharing different proxy sites that users can access, such as Proxy-Service.de, which enables access to blocked sites. The only disadvantage is that you have to put up with a bar at the top with display ads, which is how they make money to support the service.
• • Mashable  is the largest independent online news site dedicated to covering digital culture, social media and technology. With more than 20 million unique monthly visitors, Mashable has one of the most engaged online news communities. Founded in 2005, Mashable is headquartered in New York City with an office in San Francisco.
•  Mashable  is the largest independent online news site dedicated to covering digital culture, social media and technology. With more than 20 million unique monthly visitors, Mashable has one of the most engaged online news communities. Founded in 2005, Mashable is headquartered in New York City with an office in San Francisco.

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