Twitter Calls CNN to Account Over Iran
Monday, June 15th, 2009 by Rob Brown
Iranians protesting at the outcome of the recent election have been mobilising through social networks like twitter and Facebook.
In addition to challenging the ’surprising’ results of the presidential election, social networks are being used to organise protests and direct action. Moreover opponent of the current regime, who claim the election was rigged, have been taking on one of the world’s largest media organisations via twitter.
Whilst organisations like the BBC and New York Times were covering the events as they unfolded, CNN was singled out by twitter users inside Iran and around the world for failing to give sufficient prominence to the outrage at the reported election result emanating from inside the country. Twitter users in their thousands started to use the hashtag #CNNfail in their messages to point out the limited CNN coverage. In a direct response to the demands of web users the TV network increased its coverage of events and made the protests their lead story.
The major news brands around the world remain our most trusted sources of news and comment but the social web is emerging as a critical provider of checks and balance.
