“Iran has blocked its citizens from accessing the social networking site Facebook as the country prepares for next month’s presidential election. Supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi, a leading reformist candidate, suggested on Sunday that the move was aimed at reducing opposition to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the current president…”
The social networking tool has taken on political significance in the region following its use by the 6 April Youth Movement in Egypt who used it to support textile workers on strike last year. More recently, internet-based social media was used extensively by those opposed to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza earlier this year. For an indepth analysis on this, see Will Ward’s recent publication in Arab Media & Society.