It is evident that the Internet and social media were driving forces of the Tunisia revolution back in 2011. With the establishment of blogs such as Nawaat, accompanied by Facebook and Twitter, Tunisians were not only able to learn of the voices of those who were also questioning then-President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali's regime, but they were also able to speak of their own views as well. Blogs and social media offered a glimpse at how groups of individuals were protesting against the strict ruling of their government. But did these two outlets spark the revolution?
Foreign Policy's Ethan Zuckerman made a valid point about the role of the Internet and social media in the uprising. While Facebook and Twitter certainly bolstered the movement, they were not the ignitors of the revolution. The frustration of Tunisians towards their government was boiling for quite sometime, and the Internet and social media certainly contributing to this. However, they were not the tipping point of the revolution.
In some instances, actions speak louder than words, and this expression rings quite profoundly during this time. When a 26-year-old penniless crops vendor by the name of Al Bouazizi set himself ablaze, that jump-started the revolution. Bouazizi's actions spoke the hearts of Tunisians, and caused the public to take their vexation and transform it into something physical, like protests and riots.
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