Mass organization, not always a good thing

[I'd meant to post this on 2/4, but just saw that it was still in draft mode.]

Sullivan linked to a piece with a disturbing new trend from the unrest in Kenya:

In Kenya, I can store funds on my phone and transfer or liquidate these as necessary. It is also the primary internet surfing device for a good number of people I know. In addition, the mobile phone can be used as a social networking and newsgathering tool. Services such as Kazi560 and Ushahidi.com are to be applauded for catering to, and harnessing the power of, the bottom of the pyramid respectively.

Unfortunately, what can be harnessed for good can equally be exploited for sinister purposes. Regarding the escalating violence in Kenya, the ICRC spokesman in the country, one Bernard Barret is quoted as saying that rumours are being spread by mobile phone text messages predicting imminent attacks by one group or another and that this is heightening tensions. It’s difficult to attach a positive or negative value to these messages collectively. If they’re true, then they serve as a useful warning, enabling those who are due to be attacked to protect themselves or to flee.

As the PCR project notes, the spread of cell phones in Africa is usually cited as a positive example of innovation.   In this case, I think it’s a matter of cell phones particularly texting, facilitating mass mobilization for good and ill.  ’R’, The author of the piece went on to speculate on the differences between radio and text messaging:

It is an entirely different [than radio] to send these [text] messages to a carefully selected list of people on your contact list who will in turn send them on to their own select list of people so that the message spreads like a virus but catches only people who answer to certain ‘characteristics.’

She goes on to note that text messages would be harder to crack down on.  This is true, but at the same time, they’re in the hands of the people unlike radio stations.  If a community has lots of ties between potentially fighting factions, text messaging could be used either to protect friends or lead counter-demonstrations.  But lacking such connections, text messaging can reinforce unhealthy divides in society.