Syrian Authorities Go Creative

Record: 1

Title: / Syrian authorities go creative.
Source: / Middle East, Apr2011, Issue 421, p24-24; , 1p
Document Type: / Article
Subject Terms: / ONLINE social networks -- Law & legislation
DEMONSTRATIONS -- Prevention
INTERNET -- Law & legislation
SOCIAL media
SOCIAL dissent
Geographic Terms: / SYRIA
Abstract: / The article focuses on the government's use of social network systems as a strategy to control social dissidence in Syria. It notes that the authorities' decision to lift the ban on social networking sites such as Facebook is a move to monitor the demonstrations organized by dissenters through the social media. It also mentions that the increase of the government's presence online was backed by the creation of Anti-Protest Facebook groups and the use of direct intimidation against online groups.
Full Text Word Count: / 767
ISSN: / 0305-0734
Accession Number: / 59964724
Persistent link to this record (Permalink): /
Cut and Paste: / <a href=" authorities go creative.</a>
Database: / Advanced Placement Source

Syrian authorities go creative

Current affairs SYRIA

FROM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT IN DAMASCUS

SYRIANS WOKE UP IN FEBRUARY TO discover that the five-year ban on Facebook and YouTube had been officially lifted. Many had heard rumours of a repeal but such stories are common currency on the streets of Damascus and Aleppo and have been for years, so nobody had taken much notice.

It would be natural to believe that lifting the ban was some sort of reform, especially at this critical time when all regional governments are trying to appease their populations, however, call them cynical if you will, but many technical experts believe lifting the ban on Facebook will chiefly serve to allow the government to monitor Syrians even more closely than before.

Syrians previously accessed Facebook and YouTube via proxies (i.e. an intermediary server that will access websites on behalf of the user), thus providing anonymity to the websites, and cloaking their identity to the Internet Service Provider (ISP). Now though, instead of Syrian Facebook users having their identities cloaked by proxy access, they are all open to monitoring by the government through their own ISPs, with most believing that proxy use is no longer needed.

The catalyst for the ban lift was probably the recent revolts and demonstrations in the region, as dissidents and demonstrators were able to organise and plan their demonstration via social networks and blogs.

Syrians did nothing more than establish a Facebook page when the demonstrations began. The group named "I am Syrian I am Tunisian" called for Syrians to change their profile pictures to an image of the Tunisian flag, but once that group was shut down under "dubious" circumstances, many were enticed to start their own groups, an opportunity enthusiastically seized upon by Syrian dissidents overseas.

New strategies

Syrian dissidents started calling for demonstrations and began to spread the word through Facebook, Twitter and their own forums. The government's immediate reaction, in an effort to counter such plans, was to ban all chat applications on mobile phones, such as eBuddy and NimBuzz. Opera Mini -- the mobile application that facilitated access to Facebook -- was also banned by all ISPs.

These applications remain banned in Syria, even after the clamp down on Facebook and YouTube was lifted.

In the days leading up to the proposed demonstrations' dates, the government substantially increased its presence online, specifically on social networks, and managed to implement crisis-defusion strategies that were somewhat impressive -- impressive to the extent that one "anonymous internet user" voiced an opinion suggesting that if government applied the same levels of intellect and determination to improving the national economy as it did to policing social network systems, Syrian people would have no need to consider protesting against unemployment and the increased cost-of-living expenses in the first place.

Amongst the strategies used was the Machiavellian "Divide and Conquer", where the government would attempt to stir up differences between the various factions united in an anti-government sentiment, setting one group against another.

It began by targeting the Kurdish population, citing the Kurds' desire for their own homeland as some sort of internal threat to Damascus but then swiftly moved on to cover sectarian divisions, warning Syrians about the consequences of having the majority Sunni Muslims, who number around 70% of the total population, rule the country, and drawing scenarios of all the repressions of freedom that might occur at some unspecified future date.

However, by far the most successful tactic was the creation of Anti-Protest Facebook groups, many of them supposedly with thousands of users, cheering for the president and referring to potential demonstrators as "Jewish and/or American agents". In addition to these tactics, there was the all-time-favourite tactic of using direct intimidation, where agents would post threats on forums and Facebook groups, and then contact users one by one via the internet or by telephone to "deliver the message".

The bully-boy tactics largely worked. Fearing reprisals, the voices of dissent were pretty much silenced. With the passion that inspired the calls for demonstrations seemingly extinguished in Syria, nobody really knows which way the government will now go. Will it ease its hold and try to win the confidence of the people, or tighten its grip against the fear of further dissention?

The importance of social networking sites in organising regional displays of protest cannot be overestimated

Please send your opinion to The Middle East's Facebook page: Search for: The Middle East

Syrian dissidents started calling for demonstrations and began to spread the word through Facebook, Twitter and their own forums

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