From translators to tweets, Iran protesters get web support from around the world

IRAN ELECTIONSWeb support pours out for Iran protesters

NEW YORK — Google and Facebook have rushed out services in Farsi. Twitter users have changed their home cities to Tehran to provide cover for Internet users there. Others have configured their computers to serve as relay points to bypass Iranian censorship. In the aftermath of the disputed Iranian election, Internet companies and individuals around the world have stepped in to help Iranians communicate and organize.

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Twitter postponed a scheduled maintenance shutdown to keep in touch with Iran election crisis

twitter_logoOfficials: Twitter stayed online for Iran chaos

WASHINGTON — The State Department this week asked Twitter to postpone a scheduled maintenance shutdown of its service to keep information flowing from inside Iran amid the growing crisis over its disputed election, three U.S. officials said Tuesday. The officials said the department intervened with Twitter executives to urge them to delay a planned shutdown of the microblogging site that would have kept it offline for 90 minutes during what would have been daytime on Monday in Iran. Full article (210 words) »

Iran ‘blocks access to Facebook’

TEHRAN - Iran has blocked access to social networking site Facebook ahead of June's presidential elections, according to Iran's ILNA news agency. ILNA suggested the move was aimed at stopping supporters of reformist candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi from using the site for his campaign. Facebook, which claims to have 175 million users worldwide, expressed its disappointment over the reported ban. So far there has been no comment from the authorities in Tehran.

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