Ana Gonzalez

Dr. Dietel – McLaughlin

Writing and Rhetoric 13300

20 March 2014

Abstract

In this paper I plan to expose how abusive governments in developing countries such as

Cuba, Venezuela, China, Egypt, and others, affect media expression by violating the right of

freedom of speech to maintain their countries ignorance and maintain therefore themselves in

power. Through the invention of social media “Citizens around the world also use these tools to

vent political frustrations, join political groups, and organize revolutions” (Logan, Ramos, 2012).

These revolutions have caused enormous effects on politics around the world and are the cause

of governments fear of the social media. I wish to expand my research and propose a new focus

on twitter as one the predominant social medias censored by governments.

Throughout my research of abusive governments and their relation with social media, I

have come to notice a specific trend. This trend is characterized by closing down twitter as a

whole and twitter accounts every time there is a risk or an actual protest going on in their coun-

tries. Even so, after the protests in Egypt this fear has grown stronger. “ Twitter has been blocked

in Egypt as a result of massive protests arranged via social-networking sites” (Diab 2012). More

than any other social network twitter’s rapid progression and ability of spreading out, has become

the number one social network being censored by abusive powers in order to constrain their citi -

zens. In Venezuela specifically, “Twitter Inc. (TWTR) said the Venezuelan government blocked

users’ online images as opposition groups marched through Caracas for a third day” (Laya, Frier,

Kurmanaev 2014). Even in UK, prime minister David Cameron said “ “free flow of information"

can sometimes be a problem” (Gross, 2011) when threatening to shut down twitter because of the

riots presented in the UK. Although the majority of the reports of media censorship, come from

developing countries’ abusive governments such as Egypt and Venezuela, the threat that twitter

presents can be further distinguished when even governments of developed countries such as the

UK feel threatened by the influence of twitter as a social media.

More than explore the different situations that produce the censoring of twitter and what

makes governments censor social media, I wish to expand on what makes twitter so undoubtedly

fearful to oppressive governments and why they feel the need of censoring it. I will also explore

the trends that present in each country regarding their censorship policies and how they relate

with the censoring of twitter.

Through my paper I intend to attract people that feel passionate about politics, justice,

media and human rights. I hope to convince them of the relation of social media censorship—

specifically twitter— and oppressive governments. And I wish to convey a new view of social

media that not only regards itself as every media in the world but rather focuses on one media

such as twitter that although presents itself in our every day lives, it can produce political and so-

cial revolutions and spark the attention of leaders around the world.