Revolutions Aren't Built on Facebook Alone, Nuke Negotiator Says

The true believers who credit Facebook and Twitter with singlehandedly enabling regime-toppling revolts in Egypt and Tunisia and the Green Revolution in Iran give social media too much credit, Ambassador David J. Smith said. But those who say social media hasn't fundamentally changed the way democracy movements operate in repressive states are also off the mark, he added. "Social media are enablers -- more than tools but less than causes -- of unrest, which may or may not result in revolution," Smith said. "They interact with traditional social networks synergistically, possibly leading to new levels -- size, tempo and frequency -- but also possibly leading to confusion, backlash and reactive use."