# Online tools and the Burma protests


![](http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1076/1459528678_beb7604333_m.jpg)I
have been following the Burma protests, carefully optimistic, hoping
that the great powers will take this opportunity to speak up and be
pro-active, especially the other ASEAN countries. Now it looks like that
is not going to happen, although I keep hoping, impressed with the great
courage displayed by the citizens of Burma.

I came across [an interesting
writeup](http://www.tamaleaver.net/2007/09/30/blogging-burma/) of the
different online tools that have been used to rouse attention around the
world, and what’s striking is that this might be the movement where
Facebook Groups really “grew up” as political tools:

> The [Support the Monks’ protest in
> Burma](http://uwaedu.facebook.com/group.php?gid=24957770200) Facebook
> Group - To be honest, I’ve never really thought Facebook would provide
> a terribly useful platform for political activism as the ‘groups’
> often seem a peripheral part of Facebook’s design. However, I happily
> stand corrected as the exponential growth of the [Support the Monks’
> protest in
> Burma](http://uwaedu.facebook.com/group.php?gid=24957770200) Facebook
> Group has been amazing - over 170,000 members when I checked this
> morning - and the links, advice and descriptions of how members can
> actively support the Burmese demonstrations in that group seems quite
> robust to me, not just a tokenistic gesture. Indeed, I’d go so far as
> to say this Facebook group has probably done more to promote the ‘ Day
> of International Action for a Free Burma - Free Aung San Suu Kyi &
> Support the Monks in Burma’ on October 6th than any other single
> outlet online or offline.

Stian\
 *(thanks to [Franz Patzig @
flickr](http://flickr.com/photos/franzlife/) for the photo)*