Reuters AlertNet Full site
Homepage | Newsdesk | NGO Latest | Crisis briefings | Country profiles | MediaWatch | Jobs | Alerting | Login

NEWSDESK

Twitter delays down time to aid Iranian protesters
16 Jun 2009 14:47:47 GMT
 Source: Reuters
NEW YORK, June 16 (Reuters) - Social networking service Twitter delayed a planned upgrade to avoid cutting daytime service to Iranians who have been using it to coordinate protests against a disputed presidential election.

Iran's top legislative body on Tuesday ruled out annulling the disputed presidential poll that has prompted the biggest street protests since the 1979 Islamic revolution but said it was prepared for a partial recount.

Websites such as Twitter and Facebook have become a focal point for young, urban Iranians opposed to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who defeated Mirhossein Mousavi in Friday's election and whose government controls the state media.

Twitter Inc said in a blog post on its site a network upgrade had been planned for Monday night in the United States, which would have cut daytime service in Iran on Tuesday.

"... Our network partners at NTT America recognize the role Twitter is currently playing as an important communication tool in Iran," the blog post said. NTT America is a subsidiary of NTT Communications Corporation <9432.T> of Japan

The hourlong maintenance was moved to 5 p.m. EDT/2100 GMT on Tuesday, corresponding to 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday in Iran.

Twitter is a website that allows users to post messages of 140 characters or less, known as "tweets," that can be seen by other users who choose to follow them. Many users post messages from smart phones allowing information to spread rapidly. (Editing by Bill Trott)


AlertNet news is provided by
Email this article       Send comments

Topics

•  Media & Humanitarianism

MORE >>

NGO latest

•  Red Cross, CDC Ready Country for Emergency Threats
Red Cross - USA

•  Indonesia: A lot of learning along the way
IFRC - Switzerland

•  Children at risk in disasters still being ignored, says report
Plan UK

•  As flu pandemic declared, leaders must focus on poor countries to avert
World Vision - USA

•  Photo Book Raising Awareness of Child Labour to be Presented in Brussels, Geneva, New York
World Vision - USA

MORE >>

Latest news

•  Statoil says may pull ex-pats' families from Iran

•  FACTBOX-How Iran's ruling bodies work

•  Iran arrests "main agents" in unrest - state TV

•  ANALYSIS-Iran system seen resilient despite election rifts

•  TABLE-Countries hosting most refugees

MORE >>

AlertNet news is provided by

Background information

Topics
Media & Humanitarianism
Facts & figures
Iran Japan United States of America

Related articles

Breaking stories
 Statoil says may pull ex-pats' families from Iran (1 minute ago)

FACTBOX-How Iran's ruling bodies work (1 minute ago)

AlertNet insight
 Climate change, wars could sink aid system - Oxfam (1 minute ago)

Aid agency news feed
 Red Cross, CDC Ready Country for Emergency Threats (1 minute ago)

Blogs
 $130m for Ronaldo? That's a lot of school meals (1 minute ago)

Maps
 MAP: Swine Influenza (as of 29 Apr 2009) - Location Map (1 minute ago)


Del.icio.us Del.icio.us  |   Digg Digg  |   NewsVine NewsVine  |   Reddit Reddit   
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-06-16T143821Z_01_ANK01_RTRIDSP_2_TURKEY-IRAN_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/ANK01.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-06-16T133948Z_01_ANK02_RTRIDSP_2_TURKEY-IRAN_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/ANK02.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-06-15T140637Z_01_TEH14_RTRIDSP_2_IRAN_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/TEH14.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-06-15T134859Z_01_TEH12_RTRIDSP_2_IRAN_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/TEH12.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-06-15T134606Z_01_TEH11_RTRIDSP_2_IRAN_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/TEH11.htm

Demonstrators make V-signs and hold banners during a protest in support of defeated Iranian presidential candidate Mirhossein Mousavi in front of the Iranian Embassy in Ankara June 16, 2009. Iran's top ...


More pictures | Galleries
Disclaimers |  Copyright |  Privacy |  Contact Us |  Feedback |  About Us |  RSS XML

Last updated:Tue Jun 16 14:49:50 2009