Did social media play a helpful role in the Arab Spring?

... Deen Freelon, Assistant Professor of Public Communication in the School of Communication at American University Interview The Arab Spring movements towards democratization in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya were driven by the Arab youth that was actively using social media for communications and providing their vision of the unfolding events. How significant was the role of social media? And would the gains of the Arab Spring be even possible without social media? Deen Freelon dispels some common misconceptions ...