Following the twentieth anniversary of Tiananmen square and ensuing riots in Xinjiang that summer, Twitter is blocked in China. Nevertheless, clever citizens have devised ways around this block and continue to use Twitter. Professor of Internet Studies at Peking University, Hu Yong recently noted that, "Twitter is the only place where people can talk freely about Liu's Nobel prize." Yong further explains that, "Twitter has become a powerful tool for Chinese citizens as they increasingly play a role in reporting local news."

Twitter is a global information network made powerful by what the American sociologist Mark Granovetter from Stanford University first theorized as "The Strength of Weak Ties." Granovetter's paper was later popularized by the international bestselling book, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by the esteemed Malcolm Gladwell. In his book, Gladwell teaches us how Paul Revere and this "weak-tie" phenomenon contributed to the success of The American Revolution.

Paul Revere had a broad network, a fast horse, and a catchy phrase far less than one hundred and forty characters: "The British are coming!" In "Small Change," Mr. Gladwell admits that social media activism is "a wonderful thing" empowering citizens with "marvelous efficiency." The American Revolution and Civil Rights Movement were not tweeted, but to suggest that emerging tools like Twitter have no part to play in the future of meaningful change is absurd. Little things can make a big difference.

In a recent article titled, "The Revolt of China's Twittering Classes," Professor Yong suggests that Twitter "invites new possibilities for reshaping China's authoritarian regime," by chipping away with a process he calls "micro-politics." According to Yong, "Recent years have seen an explosion of activities indicating that Twitter has become the coordinating platform for many campaigns asserting citizens' rights." Bit-by-bit, the open exchange of information provided by Twitter "can push forward real change." Yes, Mr. Gladwell, we are a long way from the lunch counters of Greensboro.

On December 27, 2007, incumbent Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki won re-election. Due to alleged electoral manipulation, Kibaki's swearing-in set off a wildfire of controversy which escalated into devastating ethnic violence -- more than thirty unarmed citizens were murdered in a church on New Year's Day.

A constitutional referendum was held in Kenya this summer in an effort to prevent future politically motivated violence. Polling stations opened early on the morning of August 4th, 2010. On this important morning however, something was amiss. Agents of the local legislator, traveling in a government vehicle, were harassing the long line of eager voters and urging them to say no to the new constitution. Because balloting had already started, this was an illegal activity. Thanks to a custom version of a social media program called Ushahidi ("Testimony" in Swahili) which gives ordinary people a voice via SMS, Twitter, or e-mail, a perceptive Kenyan was able to alert electoral officials with a simple text message.