The profile image on Twitter for Egyptian activist Wael Ghonim shows him wearing a Pharoah’s crown, typing away on a Mac laptop. Ghonim, a Google marketing exec in Cairo, was released after 12 days in custody by authorities for a Facebook page Facebook Page about the death of everyman activist Khalid Said that catalyzed protests.
I got to talk to a researcher this week about social media in the Arab world – and how the services many of us use to keep in touch with far-flung old flames and cousins serve as portable microblogging and news distribution tools in places where most media is state-run or party-funded.
We’ll try to catch up to Ghonim after the euphoria dies down to ask him what role Apple devices play in these historic events.
UPDATE: we corrected the FB page thanks to reader ademsemir who says that iPhones played a big part in recent events.
Via @ghonim
