the network and social uprisings

Networks are not always revolutionary: by Cory Doctorow

The answer, I think, is that networked communications were necessary, but not sufficient, to a successful Egyptian uprising. The emails and tweets and status updates coming from Tunisian revolutionaries inspired their comrades in Egypt (some of whom they'd met face-to-face in regional meetings organised by the likes of the Open Society Initiative, but whose social connections were continued and reinforced by the net).