Well, Feral Jundi has now stepped into the world of micro blogging. I just signed on with Twitter as http://twitter.com/feraljundi. I have also linked up the blog to Twitter, so not only will you be able to get instant updates from me out in the field, you will also get the latest updates from the blog when I post, if you are signed up with Twitter. And seeing how my cellphone is connected to Twitter, I can make instant posts to Twitter with text messages. Pretty cool I say.
Here is how it could work in the near future. Let’s say I get a call about a job while I am at the mall or something. If you are in my Twitter network, I could text a message through that service from my phone. If you are one of my friends on Twitter, and your phone and computer are connected through Twitter, then you would get this message that I would send out about the job if you are signed up. And in this industry, the faster you can apply for these last minute jobs, the better chance you have of getting in. So that is one way Twitter can help you get the edge.
Also, for emergency stuff, guys can text incidents through their twitter internationally. So if you are on contract right now and let’s say you are in Iraq, and your team got hit out there on the roads or your contract was ended abruptly and guys are going home, you could text your message via your phone through your Twitter network. PERSEC and OPSEC are up to you, but if you are in dire straits and have no other means of communication, a text through Twitter might be the answer. Atheer and the other cellphone networks in war zones, all have text capability.
You can also use Twitter for your local network of Iraqis or Afghanis who are working with you. All of them have cell phones these days and they all text like crazy. If you got them all set up on Twitter, or some other type of similar service, and have interpreter type out your messages, you could enhance your information collection network. Or you could send out important messages to your network. But OPSEC and PERSEC is on you if you are going to use this technology, and you must be careful. Twitter has addressed some of these security issues that have been brought up in the past, and use it at your own discretion.
So if you are a Twitter user, that is great and follow Feral Jundi tweets. Or if you are interested in using it, don’t be shy and check it out. For me, this is the first time using this service and I am interested to see where it will take us. –Head Jundi
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Twitter has been used as a “social justice tool” to connect groups of people in critical situations. On April 10, 2008, James Buck, a graduate journalism student at UC Berkeley, and his translator, Mohammed Maree, were arrested in Egypt for photographing an anti-government protest. On his way to the police station, Buck used his mobile phone to send the message “Arrested” to his 48 “followers” on Twitter. Those contacted UC Berkeley, the US Embassy in Cairo and a number of press organizations on his behalf. While being detained, Buck was able to send updates about his condition to his “followers”. As a result of the message and the efforts of his Twitter friends[dubious – discuss], he was released the next day from the Mahalla jail after the college hired a lawyer for him.[35][36]
Research reported in New Scientist magazine in May 2008[citation needed] found that blogs, maps, photo sites and instant messaging systems like Twitter did a better job of getting information out during emergencies such as the shootings at Virginia Tech than either the traditional news media or government emergency services. The study—performed by researchers at the University of Colorado—also found that those using Twitter during the fires in California in October 2007 kept their followers (who were often friends and neighbors) informed of their whereabouts and of the location of various fires on a minute by minute basis. Additionally, organizations that support relief efforts are also using Twitter. The American Red Cross uses Twitter (http://twitter.com/RedCross) to exchange minute-to-minute information about local disasters, including statistics and directions.[37][38] The first trade union Twitter service was launched by the news and campaigning website LabourStart in June 2008. [39]