Iran situation proves impact of Twitter

ROCKFORD, Mich. (WOOD) - Supporters of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad rallied Tuesday in support of his re-election.

But opponents are claiming election fraud and vow to continue protesting.

The Iran government has banned the news media from transmitting images of protesters, cutting off cell phones and keeping foreigners contained to their hotels.

But the images are getting out, mostly through the Internet - specifically, Twitter.

With the government censoring outgoing media amid a disputed election, the site is one of the only ways protesters are staying connected. Twitter enables people to inform each other what is going on in real time. It is just one of the ways social networking is evolving every day.

Twitter allows people to share -- or 'tweet' -- with others what they are doing at any given moment, in 140 characters or fewer.

For example, Cindy Grace spends most of her days communicating with friends, many of whom she has never met in person.

She is known on Twitter under the username Fuzzyredrobe.

The Rockford woman is a wife, mother of two and freelance writer. She has 626 followers on Twitter, who subscribe to her mini-blog entries.

"(It's for) keeping up with people back home," Grace said. "It was useful for keeping tabs on my teenager. I found old high school friends, I found old college friends."

She tweeted about her interview with 24 Hour News 8: "I said when the news crew pulls up into my driveway, my neighbors are going to wonder what I was arrested for."

And dinner: "(I tweeted) if anybody had any idea how much ground beef I would need to make 100 tacos. And I got answers back."

But Web sites such as Twitter and Facebook are evolving from social to informative.

Grand Valley State University uses social networking sites to communicate information and campus events.

Web manager David Poortvliet explained ways the university uses it, and said he likes it because it's simple.

Further proof of the site's importance: The U.S. state department asked Twitter not to shut down the site for routine maintenance because it was such a critical tool for Iranians to communicate.

On the Net:

Twitter.com

Twitter 101