Facebook against corruption?

By Chandan K Jha & Sudipta Sarangi

Spring is over and peak summer is approaching. The Arab Spring that began in December 2010 also seems to be over, but more than in a narrow meteorological sense. Folks in West Asia, North Africa and elsewhere are now talking of the gruelling path ahead — the so-called Arab Summer.

The Arab Spring really shook the world — a tumultuous event that saw ordinary people take to the streets to fight against oppressive regimes on the strength of mere human spirit. It led to the demise of many dictatorships, including those in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and Yemen. Other countries, like Bahrain and Syria, observed serious civil uprisings; even Iraq, Jordan and Kuwait did not escape turmoil.

Social media had a significant role to play in the success of these uprisings by providing a means for rapid communication and unique opportunities for interaction among the protestors.