Libyans use YouTube to get videos out

Libyan protesters are taking advantage of Youtube.com to send images of the ongoing violence across the world. It is part of the importance of the Internet – although partially shut down in the country – in maintaining the world’s understanding and news on the events unfolding in the North African country.

According to London-based human rights activist Mitchell Evans, “the Internet is playing an important role in how the outside world sees the uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa.”

He said that although on-the-ground action is taking a more grassroots, word-of-mouth approach, “globally, the Internet and YouTube, Twitter and Facebook have done wonders to keep us informed of the events in Libya and elsewhere.”

Libya has seen massive violence against peaceful demonstrators in the past week, with the government of Muammar Gaddafi unleashing mercenaries, soldiers and air attacks on the population.

Without the Internet, Evans and others argue, “there would be little, if any information coming from the country.”

He is apprehensive to call the revolutions an Internet Revolution, but does not discount the reality that the international community has benefited from their use.

“We are seeing massive uprisings that would have gone missed(sic) by the international community had it not been for the Internet, so that is good, but I don’t think the people on the ground in these countries really are using the Internet in a way to take down the governments. They are using their feet,” Evans added.

By Jonathan Terry