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Internet Savvy Activists Get Digital

First came the blinding, stinging sensation. Then the pounding stream of water. And then the potentially lethal bullets, knocking the wind out of you, knocking you senseless.

On a backdrop that included billowing clouds of tear gas and a 2 1/2 mile concrete and wire fence, the clashes between protesters and riot police created a somewhat surreal setting of an anarchic country of political unrest.

The Summit of Americas protest started easily enough – giant puppets, chants, street theatre, drumming, and a lot of dancing. A peaceful group of over 60, 000 protesters fighting for what they believe. Then came the riot police, the tear gas, water canons and plastic bullets. Over 450 protesters were jailed. All have been released, but dozens face hearings in court.

Few protests and protesters have ever been as organized as those that attended the SOA. For the Summit of the Americas, activists in Quebec City were able to skillfully utilize the Internet and modern technology, managing to be some of the most organized protesters in recent history.

The Internet played a strategic role by allowing protesters to get organized quickly for SOA activities. Instead of expensive conference calls or nearly impossible face-to-face meetings, groups made collective decisions through cyber-meetings with other members and coalitions over chat lines like IRC.

Listservs allowed organizers to disseminate information to countless numbers of people from anywhere on the planet within seconds, ensuring that everyone was completely up to date.

Of course even the Internet has its limitations. In Canada nearly half of the population has access to the web (it is much less in developing countries) and they are typically well-educated, economically advantaged people who are not necessarily the general demographic of these movements.

Plus, those without the Internet are usually the ones more under- or mis-represented in the media such as the poor and ethnic minorities.

Another problem that organizers have faced is the risk of online monitoring (there are no snooping laws online like there are for phone tapping).

However, most activists have gotten around this with the use of encryption codes like PGP which prevent people from reading private e-mails.

Also, cell phones were an enormous tactical advantage in Quebec. Activists kept each other updated on where riot police were and what was going on in different locations.

As digital technology advances, the new breed of cyber protesters will become better informed and more in sync with the trials and tribulations their ideological partners face. As the left becomes more united through new advanced mediums, they will find a voice strong enough to penetrate the often stifling stronghold of sanctioned, right-leaning media and policy-makers. Now protesters and police need to improve their relations as their actions will be subject to closer scrutiny and everything they do will be seen around the world the moment they do it.

Digital Activism

The Internet has become the backbone of communications for many activist groups, and protesters now hit the information highway before hitting the streets.

Activists have traded in pamphleteering and low budget indymags for listservs, e-mail, online radio and video feeds.

With a seemingly finite number of online resources, protesters were able to find everything they needed to know to prepare for the protests such as dealing with police, reporting any abuses and preparing oneself for tear gas.

Sites like www.stopftaa.org have information on organizing affinity groups, safety and on taking effective video footage.

On the site www.soaw-ne.org, protesters could find a complete field guide to the FTAA Protest in Quebec City which included information on organizing, legal rights, how to cross the border without hassle and even frequently used phrases in French.

The leading online resource for protesters was by far indymedia.org – a collection of independent media organizations and journalists that offer grassroots, non-corporate coverage.
The website, which news organizations look to for coverage that isn’t supplied by the mainstream media, made sure that journalists were there for the SOA protests. As the sign on the door to their office says, “Don’t Hate the Media, Become the Media,” and become the media the protesters did. By making sure that protesters attended the summit with digital cameras, video equipment and microphones, indymedia had a steady stream of live video and radio feeds and written reports on their website.

The live feeds ensured that the truth of the protests would be told, and thanks to technologically savvy protesters and lots of planning, indymedia became the source for information on the protests easily outpacing CNN and other major sources of new information.

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