U.S. State Department speaks to Twitter over Iran

[Barrett808]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department contacted the social networking service Twitter over the weekend to urge it to delay a planned upgrade that could have cut daytime service to Iranians, a U.S. official said on Tuesday.

"We highlighted to them that this was an important form of communication," said the official of the conversation the department had with Twitter at the time of the disputed Iranian election. He declined further details.

(Reporting by Sue Pleming, Editing by Sandra Maler)

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUSWBT01137420090616

[Bragi]

1. This story is not a good thing

This kind of story tends to affirm the idea that social media sites like Twitter are extensions of U.S. foreign policy. This is not a good signal to send to a lot of foreign states.

[Billy Burnett]

2. They are extensions of US foreign policy.

For example, just last month the Obama admin had OFAC tell Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, etc, to shut down their Messenger systems in Iran, Cuba, etc ("evildoer" countries on the US's list of terra sponsors). They did.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x15522

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x15847



No messenger anymore. Just Twitter. Hmm.

[Bragi]

4. Thanks

I wasn't aware of that. Makes it pretty easy for dictators to justify banning these web services.

[Billy Burnett]

8. But the dictators didn't shut them down. Obama's OFAC did.

Outta one side of the admin's mouth is the expression that peoples in these (evil) nations need more access to communication.

Outta of the other side of this admin's mouth are threats to Messenger services to shut them down.


Except Twitter. Strange, yes?

[OKNancy]

6. The State department was reacting to calls from the public

The call to not do maintenance was on Andrew Sullivan hours before State did anything.
"Twitter" as an arm of State or CIA is just total, utter tin-foil bullshit.
SOmeone here has an agenda... I just haven't figured out what it is yet

[EFerrari]

23. Maybe ask the State Department.

There's this article up at NYTs:

U.S. Steps Gingerly Into Tumult in Iran

By MARK LANDLER and BRIAN STELTER
Published: June 16, 2009
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration says it has tried to avoid words or deeds that could be portrayed as American meddling in Iran’s presidential election and its tumultuous aftermath.


Yet on Monday afternoon, a 27-year-old State Department official, Jared Cohen, e-mailed the social-networking site Twitter with an unusual request: delay scheduled maintenance of its global network, which would have cut off service while Iranians were using Twitter to swap information and inform the outside world about the mushrooming protests around Tehran.

snip

Mr. Cohen, a Stanford University graduate who is the youngest member of the State Department’s policy planning staff, has been working with Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and other services to harness their reach for diplomatic initiatives in Iraq and elsewhere.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/world/middleeast/17media.html?em

[AlphaCentauri]

19. I was thinking why crap like Twitter is so popular

I know now

[fujiyama]

3. Fuck the authoritarian foreign states

Seriously, if Iran would allow other forms of media then the State Dept wouldn't have intervened.

[Bragi]

5. Really?

Why should any foreign state allow access to a web service that is just an extension of U.S. foreign policy?

[ButterflyBlood]

18. Uh, I can access foreign state's sites about their foreign policy

Even the North Korean state propaganda news service is accessible. Sites that promote other foreign countries' foreign policy aren't banned here, why should they be banned anywhere?

[Bragi]

31. That isn't the issue

The issue isn't access to government sites explaining foreign policy. The issue is access to social media (Twitter) as an organizing tool for political action, and the US urging Twitter to stay online so that anti-government forces in Iran can get organized.

[Billy Burnett]

7. Then why did Obama's OFAC shut down all the Messenges services?

Surely IF the claim is that these countries restrict communication, then why would the Obama admin restrict communication methods even more?

Only Twitter?

[OKNancy]

9. The embargo has been in effect for years ( long before Obama)

Just because Microsoft and others shut off service doesn't mean the others who didn't are CIA.
And you know the embargo is more complicated than that.

[Billy Burnett]

11. But it is the Obama admin that is cracking down on communication technologies ...

But it is the Obama admin that is cracking down on communication technologies while at the same time decrying and accusing the Cuban (and Iranian) admin for restricting communication technologies.

Yes the embargo has been in effect for a long time, but the gray area of Cubans using messenger services (that not even the Bush admin cracked down on) was available to Cubans and Iranians. As of last month (coincidently a month before the Iranian elections, when these services were most vital), not any more.

Only Twitter is available now.

I find all of this very strange.

[dipsydoodle]

13. Its quite simple Mr Burnett

There are reasonably clear divisions in Iran. Broadly speaking the working class support Ahmadinejad and the middle class and students support Mousavi.

Now then - which of those groups do you think are more likely to use twitter ?

Your government is in effect supporting one group in the knowledge that only chatter positive toward Mousavi / anti Ahmadinejad will get out. More commonly known as how to make friends and influence people.

Nothing ever really changes out there.

[Billy Burnett]

15. FYI

Not sure if Twitter has the Iranian exclusive in Canada.




:hi:

[EFerrari]

21. I'm so happy to see the State Department so soliitous for the communication

capabilities of the Saudi-backed Mousavi campaign! We're building goodwill in the Middle East. :)

[Dark]

12. So the U.S. sticking up for free speech in other countries is a bad thing?

Because authoritarians who hate us will hate us more?

OOOKAY...

[Billy Burnett]

14. While at the same time cutting off their means to do so?

How is cutting all other IM service "sticking up for free speech in other countries"?

Now Twitter has an exclusive deal? With whom?

[pipoman]

16. Just wondering,

as someone who admittedly knows nothing about Twitter aside from having read 2 threads there yesterday. Could it be that twitter communication can be easily monitored with no legal issues while most IM services are person to person (personal) communication?

[Dark]

20. Uh, I didn't read anything about IM outside of this:

Ftfa:

Twitter and Facebook have been used as a tool by many young people to coordinate protests over the election's outcome.


---


Facebook has a chat option. You can IM people, send them messages that are timestamped.

[David__77]

10. I think IRNA would pick this story up.

It just presents the opposition as in cahoots with the US, and privileged with technology that most in Iran still do not have.

[EFerrari]

22. I'm wondering how bad this media crackdown is.

I keep hearing that the foreign press has been told to leave Iran. And yet, yesterday on Amy's show and today on Grit TV, there were journalists calling in from Tehran. Same with cell service. Over the weekend, there was a caller from Tehran into WJ. Whatever is going on there, it doesn't see to be very bad or even very consistent? Confusing.

[Turborama]

24. Reporters have been confined to their hotels/offices etc until their visas run out.

They aren't allowed to go out filming. All foreign reporters were only given visas to cover the election and soon, when the visas have run out, there won't be any there at all - unless some stay on illegally and try and keep under the radar. Hope that helps clear things up.

[EFerrari]

25. Thanks. Yes, I'd heard about the visa situation.

And maybe read that they aren't confined to their hotels but they aren't supposed to be out reporting. The Times correspondent that was on Amy's show says she goes out and just blends into the crowd for now.

[Turborama]

29. I was going by this report from CNN

"International news outlets, including CNN, can talk about rallies in their live reports, but they are not allowed to leave their hotel rooms and offices."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3925217

That Democracy Now! piece sounds like an interesting take on things, have you got a link?

[EFerrari]

30. Here it is, from Monday:

Hundreds of Thousands Protest in Tehran Accusing Ahmadinejad of Stealing Election; Guardian Council Orders Partial Recount

In Iran, protests against Friday’s election results continue for the fourth day, and the powerful Guardian Council says it is ready to hold a recount of disputed votes. The announcement follows a mass rally Monday in Tehran of several hundred thousand people who defied an official ban on a public rally to protest the election results. Iranian state radio reports that seven people were killed at the rally.

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/6/16/hundreds_of_thousands_protest_in_tehran

[dipsydoodle]

27. Both the BBC and SKY are in touch with their foreign correspondents

and both have avoided of falling into the trap of stating opinions rather than fact. Some who had previously provided opinions may already have left the country due to the visa not being renewed - the visas were issued for the election period only. Those still there "go shopping".....lol. That provides them with an insight to the world outside their offices and for the present they remain there wording their statements carefully.

In #11 above I was alluding to selective intervention..........if a similar situation were to occur in a Latin American country for example then the right wingers would have access to twitter and the bulk of the poor population not so. I wasn't being supportive of Ahmadinejad's party. It may actually transpire that whovever is declared the final winner nothing much actually changes much for either their popultion or their nuclear policy whatever.

:hi:

[EFerrari]

28. I saw that "shopping" story and must say, it restored my faith in the press.

lol

The trouble I'm having is that our media here demonizes the devil and so, it's difficult to cut through that to get a more accurate grip on what is happening. :crazy: There are certainly Gucci protesters in Iran just as in Venezuela and, there is more, too.

It looks like some of the powerful clerics are making a move against the extreme right wing. I hope so! And of course, hope there is as little violence as possible. :hi:

[lindisfarne]

17. State Department is working with Twitter and other social networking sites to ensure Iranians are

able to continue to communicate to each other and the outside world.
http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/16/state-department-to-twitter-keep-iranian-tweets-coming/

But they do want to make sure the technology is able to play its sorely-needed role in the crisis, which is why the State Department is advising social networking sites to make sure their networks stay up and running for Iranians to use them and helping them stay ahead of anyone who would try to shut them down.

For example, senior officials say the State Department asked Twitter to refrain for going down for periodic scheduled maintenance at this critical time to ensure the site continues to operate. Bureau’s and offices across the State Department, they say, are paying very close attention to Twitter and other sites to get information on the situation in Iran.

Because the US has no relations with Iran and does not have an embassy there, it is relying on media reports and the State Department’s Iran Watch Offices in embassies around the world. The largest such offices are in Dubai, Berlin and London, all home to large Iranian expat communities.

But officials say the internet, and specifically social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, are providing the United States with critical information in the face of a crackdown on journalists by Iranian authorities.

[EFerrari]

26. That's a little disingenuous. We do certainly have relations with other

states that are in Iran -- like Saudi Arabia. So, the poor State Department is not solely depending on Twitter and Facebook.