Internet Access Power and 'Libya revolution'

Internet Access Power and 'Libya revolution'
Lee, Haesoo

   Currently, the major issue in the world is 'Libya revolution'. Many people already know how the revolution happened. Simply put, it is one of the Jasmine revolution ; The arab people have been awaken to their social and political rights after decades of repression under dictatorship by Moummar gadhafi. The contagious effect of pro-democracy fever was so powerful. It makes Libya jump into unrest in a just week. The this revolution is caused by not religious people but young ordinary people, that was also surprising to me. 

'In a Just Week' How Dose Revolution Fever Spread so fast? 
New method for social changes 'the Internet' 

   Decade ago, many people sacrificed, struggled, and died for social change. However, We choose various method for social changes today: gathering signatures, nationwide boycott on the Internet and so on. The Internet access contributed to Libya Revolution too.
 
   I focused on the revolution process to gather rebels and spread their aspirations toward liberty. At the beginning, rebels wrote about the dictator and government of corruption on their twitter. They started gathering people and the people scraped the information. The protester have still announced what happened in Libya, how cruel government attack is. They notify their tactic too.

 

 

   As we can see in this case, protest method has totally changed. Many experts said the effects of these popular revolutions have affected Internet access. 'Youtube' traffic from Libya has fallen 90% from normal levels. Finally, Libya government blocks the access like Facebook, Twitter, personal blogs.  

 

Libya government controled Youtube to prevent the spread of democracy

 

Also, China and North Korea have been filtering in the Jasmine Revolution. It shows how much the internet effects on the people in Libya. Spreading information and idea is to help public realize what we change in our society, moreover, protesters’ expressions and tactics have increased and diversified by using the technology.

 

 

   The other reason I focused on the Internet access in this issue, Korean workers who stayed in Libya were rescued, using Twitter. They tried to escape from chaos of Libya, but they didn't have immigration form. One of the worker asked for Korean embassy to help them though Twitter. His twitter comment was spread quickly, and then, Korean government rescued them.

 

Libya seems similar to the 1979 situation in Korea, we used to oppose violence to violence. 
However, today, nonviolence is more effective to express our message. 

   Unfortunately, Libyans could not avoid violent struggle. At least 200 peoples are killed in clash protesters and the government. It is similar to Korean 1987 pro-democracy protest. Many Koreans died that time, however we got our social right and freedom. Nowadays, Korean protest tend to choose non-violent way like candle light, silence protest, especially free expression in the internet. Therefore, I am sure Libya is also going to spread peaceful protest after they build a democratic society. Actually, Libyans already showed the practicality as I mentioned above. I hope the protesters can have their right and freedom.