DigiActive.org » Internet Telephony

Campaign: Help Fouad Mourtada

Mary Joyce — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:32:51 +0000

Description of Campaign: On February 5, Moroccan Fouad Mourtada was taken into custody for posting a joke profile of Prince Rachid (the King’s brother). Two weeks later, he was sentenced to three years in prison and fined over $1000 on a false charge of document identity fraud. The goal of this campaign is to reverse this sentence, which is horribly out of proportion to the offense committed.

Digital Activism Tools: YouTube, web site, G-Chat, Skype, Facebook, digital video, digital photography

How These Tools Are Being Used: First there was the official web site, www.HelpFouad.com with an e-petition asking for Fouad’s release. Members of the campaign both inside and outside Morocco communicated using G-Chat and Skype. Then there was the Facebook group, Help Fouad Mourtada. Through the Facebook group and offline social networks, rallies were organized this past Saturday at Moroccan embassies and consulates in 8 cities around the world (Rabat, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Washington DC, Montreal, Madrid, and London). Digital video and photographs were collected from these rallies made into a video to promote the cause (see below).

Fouad’s appeal has not yet been heard in court and there is still time for his sentence to be reversed or reduced. Please get involved with the campaign by joining the Help Fouad Mourtada Facebook group or e-mailing helpfouad AT gmail.com .

Tool: GTalk

Mary Joyce — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 04:23:10 +0000

Tool Description: GTalk is Googles version of Internet telephony. I allows you to talk online for free with other people that use GTalk.
Activist Application: Burmese democracy activists used GTalk to tell people around the world what was happening in their country. According to Maung Maung, a Burmese activist and trade unionist, “There are about 50 Internet cafes all over Burma, and young people were able to log into GTalk and say to the rest of the world, ‘Here’s what is happening on this corner; here’s what is happening on that corner.’ Quite a lot of young activists have been trained in how to use Gmail. It is extremely helpful to the movement.” GTalk is available in Burmese (see below) and many other world languages.
Ease of Use: Easy. You can download it here or use it without downloading it by clicking here. You do need a Gmail account and a microphone to use GTalk.

Tool: Skype

Amine — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 17:21:58 +0000

Name: Skype

Website: http://www.skype.com

What it is: Skype is a program which you can use to have chat, voice and video conversations with friends and contacts around the world.

Rating:

Applications for activists: A great to way to communicate with fellow activists both in and outside your country for free. Also a great way to hold voice interviews with journalists who might be interested in your work.

Cost: Free (for calls from a Skype user to another Skype user)

Available Languages: more than 25 major languages. List available on the International Page.

You can figure it out in: 15 minutes

Why we like it: Free, easy to use, a great way to communicate with fellow activists and allies.

Some problems: Depending on the speed of your internet connection, the quality of your voice conversation may be lower. For the free call, your friends and contacts also need to install the Skype program on their computers and be online when you want to talk to them.

Steps for Use:

1. Dowload the Skype program here.

2. Install the program by double-clicking on the Skype-setup icon.

3. Run the newly-installed Skype program.

4. Click on “Don’t have a skype name”.

5. Create your new account by filling in your name, Skype screenname and password.

6. Once you are logged in ask your friends for their Skype screennames and add them to your contacts by clicking on the “Add Contact” icon.

7. You can call and talk to your friends when they are online by clicking on their name and pressing the green phone button on the bottom of the screen.

Is anything about these instructions unclear? Did we make a mistake? Let us know in the comments section and we will make the appropriate change.