nwasianweekly.com
July 28, 2007

Activists are getting tech-savvy

Getting your voice heard in China is tough, especially when you’re challenging the values and policies of the communist government. But these days, more and more Chinese activists are figuring out how to stay one step ahead of authorities.

Their weapons of choice? Cell phones, blogs and the Internet.

Activists are using their cell phones to text friends to join them at protests at a moment’s notice. With little time to organize themselves, the police have little success squelching these marches and demonstrations. Activists can also use phones to take photos of the protests as they happen, sending them to bloggers around the world who can quickly post them onto the Internet. Newspapers and other media in China can only watch from the sidelines, scared to report for fear of retribution from the government.

That is exactly what happened last month in Xiamen, China, where thousands of people marched against the construction of a giant chemical factory. Their protest was reported nationwide and the project was postponed pending an environmental-impact study.

Welcome to the 21st century, where technology is at the forefront of free speech and social justice. More than ever before, average people have access to high-tech goods that help connect them with other like-minded individuals. Just think of the power of hundreds, thousands — even millions — of people who believe in the same thing.

Tiananmen Square might not have turned into the massacre it was if the student protesters had cell phones, the Internet and the ability to text each other.

Similar strategies are being employed in India, where one woman is using the Internet to protect her husband, who has been threatened for blowing the whistle on corruption in the government. The more people who know about her husband’s predicament, the more people who will keep him safe, she reasons.

Technology is giving us many ways to make our voices heard. Don’t be afraid to use technology to your advantage. Organize with others to bring attention to your cause. If the government isn’t behind you, you can always turn to the World Wide Web for support, guidance and, yes, even protection.

It seems the more people have access to high-tech goods like computers and cell phones, the more opportunities there are for free speech.

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