Egyptian Police Use Facebook And Twitter To Track Down Protesters' Names Before 'Rounding Them Up

[WillyT]

Egyptian police use Facebook and Twitter to track down protesters' names before 'rounding them up'
By IAN GALLAGHER
Last updated at 4:16 AM on 6th February 2011

<snip>

Sitting on an upturned bread basket with her knees pulled up to her chest, a petite young woman looked out over Tahrir Square early yesterday morning and weighed up whether she should stay or leave. Gabrielle, 25, is a French-Egyptian property lawyer, one of the thousands of young protesters who have remained at the focal point of Egypt’s uprising since it began 13 days ago. Exhausted, she yearns to return to the comfortable home she shares with her younger sisters and anxious parents – also lawyers – in the upmarket Cairo suburb of Heliopolis ten miles away. She dreamt last night of a hot bath and fresh clothes.

Laughing wearily, she says: ‘See, I am the colours of the Egyptian flag.’ She points to her black jeans, white shirt – and the blood on her sleeve. ‘It’s not mine,’ she says, almost apologetically. ‘My friend, a student doctor, was cut above the eye by a rock the other day. ‘Of course my family are worried – my father rings every hour to check I am OK. And it would be a lie to say that I enjoy being dressed like this. I’m a woman, and fussy about clothes! I’ve been out of the square only twice, and only briefly, since this began so it hasn’t been easy. At the same time I don’t want to let my friends down, and I want to stay until Mubarak leaves.

‘I am also worried about being arrested if I leave. Already we have heard stories about activists who have left being rounded up. They have our names from Facebook postings and Twitter. Some have not been heard of since.’

Gabrielle’s dilemma is shared by many others whose activism, both online and on the streets, has brought them to the attention of the state security police. While other protesters arrive and leave freely, thousands like Gabrielle – well-educated, middle-class idealistic young Egyptians who used social networking sites to ignite this protest – are beginning to feel trapped. Some say they are fighting for their lives, though they have thus far protested peacefully.

<snip>

More: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1354096/Egypt-protests-Police-use-Facebook-Twitter-track-protesters.html

:kick:

[randr]

1. Following the removal of Mubarak Obama must demand

the secret police need to be disbanded and all protesters given protection.

[stillwaiting]

2. How is it possible to still be in negative rec territory with my rec on this story?!

Who could possibly unrec this?

Kick!

[WillyT]

3. I Didn't Know We Had Egyptian Secret Police As Members Either...

:evilgrin:

But thank you for the rec.

:hi:

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Important story. whose agenda does it serve to un-rec?

K&R

Also, future protesters take note: use a system, any system that re-routes your personal
and/or vital info.
Mubarak has become a sacrificial lamb to the real interests of the area, but the system will continue, as always.

[kenny blankenship]

6. Love the "orderly transition" - love the police state

"My President, right or wrong!" will cover the liquidation of the protest movement in Egypt, and others like it elsewhere.

[leveymg]

15. Facebook and Twitter (and Mubarak, probably) have PR agencies working for them & lots of volunteers

That might explain the Unrecs.

Pointing out how social networking site data is mined and exploited (yes, by gov't agencies, as well as corporations) is bad business. So they try to stamp out bad publicity about those sites.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bobbolink]

14. Thanks for the reminder... I added a rec!

Important story.. thanks for posting!

[blogslut]

5. Well, doesn't this dovetail nicely with

...Lee (I knit my own sockpuppets) Siegel's recent scare pieces, condemning the use of social media as a tool for political uprising?:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/06/books/review/Siegel-t.html

http://www.observer.com/2011/opinion/i-am-twittering-egypt-twittering

[lonestarnot]

7. And thn torture or what not.

[BeFree]

8. Peace be with you sister.

[customerserviceguy]

9. Facebook and Twitter have always been a two-edged sword

My lady spends a fair amount of time on Facebook, she's appalled at the behavior displayed there by the teens and twentysomethings who are the kids of our friends. It's going to be tough to get a job with all the stuff they post that they do on the weekends.

With the Egyptian (and other Islamic nations) young people using these electronic 'demonstrations', it seems that even the pain of being arrested is not enough of a deterrent to putting yourself out there. What did they think would happen?

[cutlassmama]

11. No surprise there. Good reason NOT to have FB.

[stillwaiting]

12. Kick nt

[sarcasmo]

13. Wouldn't surprise me if it happens here one day.