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The revolutions of yore used to be cumbersome affair. Even before attempting to start one, the

instigators had to rely on word of mouth, secret messages written in code and sent through daring

messengers to likeminded elements. However, as electronic modes of communication began to posit

the ability to cast an invisible web of information flow, rallying and organizing protestors could literally

be done at the throw of a switch. The recently unleashed wave of revolutionary fervor that is sweeping

across the Arab world, though constituting human elements at it forefront, is largely fueled by the

awakening created by a motley crew of electronic news and networking media over the past dozen odd

years.

The uprising in Egypt, that has been one of the most televised revolutions in history, was popularly

dubbed as the Facebook Revolution. This moniker is largely attributed to the power of the social

networking site to first bring together people virtually via a Facebook community created by one Wael

Ghonim and then to direct them in tens of thousands in the form of a protesting community out on the

streets. The public uprising in Tunisia was, to a considerable extent, triggered by the likes of Facebook

uploader/provider as well as the target audience, the factor of anonymity also comes into play. Where

the Egyptian news source had no qualms about revealing his identity, the team behind SBZ news choseto remain in the shadows.

The power of Facebook in conveying news and criticism of dictatorial regimes in the far and wide was

further augmented by user controlled online services, Twitter and Youtube. In fact, the usability of these

sites was linked to the converging aspects of Facebook, whereby creating a virtual underground. Last

June, a page set upon Facebook commemorating the brutal murder of Khaled Said who dared to defy

the Emergency Law that gives the search anybody, anywhere, anytime linked a video on Youtube

covering his murder and thus was successful in creating enough of an impact in tens of thousands of

Egyptians who started calling for regime ouster. Twitters ability to provide second to second updates on

people and events was channeled alongside Facebook communities calling for protests in the variousArab states, such as by using #25jan in tweets in the case of the Egyptian protests organized on 25

th

January, 2011.

Yet the role played by social networking/media sites of Facebook, twitter and Youtube is but a tip of the

virtual iceberg of reality checks delivered to the people in Arab world states. Much of the bulk of news,

reporting and analyses has been dealt blow by blow by the Qatar based Al-Jazeera satellite television

network. Borne out in 1996 of the now defunct BBC Arabic, with funding provided by the Emir of Qatar,

Al-Jazeera was structured right from the start to be less bureaucratic and red-tape laden and more

towards integrating social media into what they do. Through its various websites and news channels, the

Al-Jazeera network has consistently played hardball with regimes across the Arab world and beyond,

and left them rattled in the wake of its broadcasts. Shortly after going on air with original international

Arabic-language news channel, anti-Egyptian government coverage on Al-Jazeera in 1997 prompted

Cairo to recall its ambassador from Doha.

Interestingly in 2000, Al-Jazeera stomped on its own sweet deal with Mubaraks government to be the

first network to use facilities and build studios in a new Media Free Zone. Al Jazeera slammed the Arab

emergency Sharm al-Sheikh summit hosted by Mubarak as a shameful betrayal of the Palestinians and

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the Intifada al-Aqsa. This outcry was a response to the failure of the Arab summit in taking sterner

measures against Israel and the US, which was attributed to the hosting Egyptian premier. Al-Jazeera

camera crews in West Bank and Gaza also provided footage of enraged Palestinians burning Egyptian

flags in protest.

Similarly in 2002, both the Saudi and Jordanian governments retaliated to intense criticism of itsrespective ruling families by recalling their ambassadors from Doha. The same year, government of

Bahrain banned the Al Jazeera from reporting from inside the Gulf state. The ban was triggered by Al

Jazeera airing footage of anti-US protests within Bahrain without acquiring permission from Bahrain s

Ministry of Information. It was only after diplomatic relations between Qatar and Bahrain improved in

2004 that Al Jazeera reporters were allowed back in. However in May 2010, Al Jazeera was again barred

from operating within the Kingdom soon after the channel aired a report on poverty in Bahrain.

Even with the seemingly unfettered power, modern electronic forms of media, news, networking and

communication are still prone to manipulation and censorship. Even though websites of Facebook,

Youtube and Twitter could not be targeted by the authoritarian regimes, their access was summarily

blocked as soon as their role in the protests became apparent. Al Jazeera has often been accused acting

upon the agenda of its backing Qatari state and downplaying issues at home. The channels offices and

vehicles have often become the target of the supporters of the regimes that it has been critical of.