Web 2.0 Opens a New World for Me!

In a very short time I was introduced to Web 2.0. I remembered the first time a colleague was explaining to me and other fellow journalists the revolution happened in the world of revolution, called Web 2.0.

While this colleague friend was talking, I felt so amazed to have new tools that can help me and many other media worker/activists/ and reporters. Though the idea at that time was not clear, in sense that we were confused on how we can make use of the Web 2.0 tools in our reporting work; how can we turn the social media websites to be source of information and news to follow- the key of utilizing this “discovery” was not familiar to us.

But by the growth of Facebook, a new world of options and potentials opened in front of me, and journalists’ community around. Though the many facilities that Facebook gave in term of providing information and networking with experts and people of the same interests, some working in the field of local media could not make the best of this tool, rather, they ignored it sticking to the traditional way of covering news. They underestimated the social media, the thing that some of them regretted later on- let alone when Arab revolutions stormed out of such social media tools.
What really excites me about Web 2.0 is the openness it gives to its users. Everything can be done. Me and you are the ones who can customize what we want to read, follow, and write about.

It forms in a way or another a huge database of information, contacts, and ideas that can add to any professional’s experience, if he/she replies on the Web 2.0 tools and famous venues.

In some sense, sites like Facebook and Twitter help heal some bad moods. When rising up, many people around the world go to their personal profiles to describe their moods, needs, even dreams. They speak their selves out.
It even helps to make the person feel less lonely, when others sharing and commenting on his/her happy comments and when they show sympathize to his/her sad moments.

Speaking about women’s improvement move, Web 2.0 can as a response to women’s outcry to find a place in the cyber space to truly express themselves. As it mentioned in this week’s material, traditional reporting did not fairly speak about women, with less focus on their causes and dilemmas. Women stayed for long helpless to express their stories out. But now, with few words in one’s statues or with a short blog post or video clip, the word gets spreading, pushing and sometimes guiding journalists towards what really they should report about.

I remember here the role of Egyptian women played on the Facebook days before Egyptian revolution. A group of women set up a Facebook group to advise ladies on how to protect themselves during the protests and sit-ins. What to wear, what to carry in case you need to defend yourself against police harassment, whom to call if you get arrested, where you can find other leading women in Tahrir sq to resort to in case of serious/urgent need.

The group of women sharing news and advices for Egyptian ladies during the revolution time was doing great job. It even encouraged many other ladies to take it into streets. The group formed a role model and guidance.

Another example is the blog of women activists created after the revolution to speak about the country state and to post women’s opinions about what is happening in the transitional period. Take for example The Egyptian Chronicles.
Web 2.0 plays a fantastic great role in my career life as a journalist. Being a member in many Web 2.0 social media websites, like FB, Twitter, Coach Surfing, Meetup, and World Pulse, this adds a lot to me and to my knowledge as a journalist, based in Egypt, but report about international affairs.

I gain information, build networks, and get introduced to new and important contacts.

Furthermore, It helps me so much to share my daily observations as a woman living in an eastern country, in a transition period, through notes, or statues I share every day on my FB and Twitter pages.

It builds my identity, and makes me more open to the world.

How amazing feeling freedom is!