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From Blogs to Facebook: A shift in Kurdish online activity

Description: Last year at this time, one could have counted a few hundred active and decently-read blogs coming from the Kurdish population, primarily in Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey (see the Global Voices report from 2005). But now, their activity level has greatly diminished, with some not having posted in several months. A look at the comments sections of many of the blogs reveals often harsh and nationalistic responses by those not in support of Kurdish culture or society, which may have been a deterrent to keeping up the posting.

Did the bloggers disappear? Were they discouraged enough with the results of their efforts to decrease internet activity altogether? No, they found a new place to focus those efforts, one they find more conducive to their cause.

Tool: Facebook

How this tool is being used: With groups such as Sign a Petition Against Killings and Stoning of Women in Kurdistan (3 533 members as of this posting) and Free Kurdistan (1 556 members as of this posting) having become much more trafficked and updated in the past year, Kurdish activists are finding that their efforts are not only gaining more traffic, but also avoiding a reasonable amount of outside harassment.

Many of these pages encourage bloggers to continue voicing their opinions through their blogs, stating the importance of a broader presence. While there is yet to be a resurgence in activity in the blogsphere, it is clear the population is adapting to the changing dynamics of internet spaces in a way that can better support their cause.