Cellphone journalism

“This time, compared to 1988, there are lots of new technologies to get the news out of Burma … People are able to take pictures, videos to evidence what is going on. It is quite amazing for Burma, which is a very poor country,” said Vincent Brossel, director of the Asia desk for Reporters Without Borders. “Technology is the most useful weapon you can use in such types of pacifist struggles.” link

Absolutely, if memory serves – just one film made it out of Burma in 1988 and even then it was days, or weeks after the fact that the film leaked out. It’s not the same this time around, but unfortunately neither is it enough for the authorities to think twice about pulling the trigger.

“Students use cell phones to SMS each other to share information,” he said, referring to text messages activists use to set up demonstrations or tell each other where soldiers are. “They also know how to take pictures and video with their phones, then download those and send them on the Internet,” [Aung Din, Policy Director with the U.S. Campaign for Burma in Washington D.C.] said. “The junta can’t control the technology totally, and it’s a huge difference to deliver the information fast.” link