EGYPT: Capturing voices with Twitter and a cellphone : News In Egypt

EGYPT: Capturing voices with Twitter and a cellphone

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EGYPT: Capturing voices with Twitter and a cellphone

n Scott-Railton, a doctoral student in urban planning at UCLA, decided to try Twitter for the first time last week.

Moved by the rising tension in Egypt and their lack of Internet access, from his tiny, windowless office at UCLA’s School of Public Affairs, Railton has been calling Egyptians on mobile phones, and then tweeting out their words in 140 characters.

The Twitter account is @jan25voices.

Sample tweets, some of which include recordings of his calls, include:

Egyptian Voices: Girls whose mothers wouldn't let them out. Now out. Protesting. With their mothers. http://twiturm.com/tqva5

Egyptian TV (Ch1): 'Helwan: bread shortage. Lines at bakery two hours after curfew.' #Jan25 #Egypt

Egyptian Executive taking speedboat on Nile to protest: "World, please stay with us."(Recorded Call) #Egypt #Tahrir http://twiturm.com/9d786

When Railton first heard that Twitter and Facebook (and eventually Internet access) had been blocked in Egypt, he thought it could ruin the protests.

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