How to use Twitter to get out of jail
By Dave Parrack
Twitter is fast becoming the must have Web 2.0 application to have, with all the top websites, and bloggers using it to communicate with others. But it has other uses, one of which is enabling you to get out of jail.
CNN is reporting that James Karl Buck, a student from Berkeley, was covering an anti-government protest in Egypt when he and his translator were arrested. Worried about something going badly wrong at the police station, Buck used his mobile phone to send a one word message to Twitter, telling all of his friends and followers that he had been “Arrested”.
This meant that within seconds of his being placed in custody, colleagues, and bloggers around the world had learnt of his plight, and could start to spread the word, and act to ensure his safety.
Buck then sent updates every couple of hours using his phone, which the Egyptian police had failed to confiscate.
Buck and his translator Maree were freed after being interrogated, only to be rearrested by the same police hours later. While Buck was then released for a second time, Maree was transferred to another police station, and his whereabouts are unknown.
Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter, said this case highlights how important a service Twitter is, saying:
“James’ case is particularly compelling to us because of the simplicity of his message — one word, ‘arrested’ — and the speed with which the whole scene played out. It highlights the simplicity and value of a real-time communication network that follows you wherever you go.”
This story comes on the same day that ReadWriteWeb are talking about how they use Twitter for journalism - explaining that beyond allowing the writers to keep in touch with their readers, it also enable them to find breaking stories, conduct interviews, and promote the site.
And as Leslie explored in an article last month, Twitter is also being used by the current US Presidential candidates as a way of communicating with supporters, with Barack Obama the first to utilise the service.
People may still be writing off Twitter as an unnecessary application, but what is clear to me is how important its becoming in so many facets of Internet life.
And how did I find the story about James Karl Buck this morning? Why, on my Twitter stream of course. Where else?
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