Mobile Protests and Activism
I recently read a news item that a Chinese city has suspended plans to build a chemical plant after a wave of cell phone text and online messages generated strong opposition to the project. This is an interesting case of use of technology in a country where free speech is not always allowed and protests are difficult to organize. The fact that a seemingly trivial thing such as SMS can mobilize an otherwise politically inactive city is impressive. Mobile activism is fast becoming a trend worth watching. Some claim that the most important activist technology of the last five years is the mobile phone.
This brings interesting possibilities to mind about Pakistan. SMS is wildly popular in Pakistan, one reason being the relatively low cost of a text message compared with that of a phone call (actually a recent study showed that Pakistan has one of the lowest SMS rates in the world). Has anyone in Pakistan created a movement based on text messaging? The Nirala sweet incident is one example, this was spread in Pakistan mainly through SMS. The recent “Mobile virus scare” in Pakistan also falls in this category where calls and SMS contributed to the panic. However there is not much technology based activity for the purpose of focused campaigns. The use of online videos from Pakistan is increasing in popularity though at times it is used for propaganda purposes. A big chunk of this is user generated content such as videos made by cell phones. I am sure it is only a matter of time before we see a lot of political activity on the mobile phones in Pakistan.
Around the world many groups are working on defining best strategies for mobile activism and political campaigns. Here’s a recent article about mobile activism and a website called MobileActive.org for civic engagement using mobiles. Here’s a bit more about the China case.
According to Xinhua, nearly one million text messages were sent protesting the plant’s construction, eventually forcing the government to capitulate. Despite intense government controls, China’s Internet and cell phone texting remain a freewheeling space. The Xiamen texting highlights the use of a new medium to spread a message in China. Already, Chinese mobile phones are used to send text ads.
The city’s reversal is one of the most visible cases in China whereby texting — which is harder to block than Internet messages — was effectively used to quash a government initiative.
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