Israel Matzav

IDF's use of Twitter in Operation Pillar of Defense named one of top 12 tech stories of 2012

The IDF's use of Twitter in Operation Pillar of Defense has been named one of the top 12 tech stories of 2012.

Violence and war have long been documented on Twitter and other social networks -- typically by journalists and by regular people on the ground (notably the Pakistani witness to the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden).

But in November, the Israeli military took this concept to a new level. During its conflict with Palestinian forces in Gaza, the Israel Defense Force tweeted updates, including the news it had "eliminated" Hamas leader Ahmed Jabari. The military arm of Hamas responded on Twitter with its own provocations.

The back-and-forth between the warring sides signaled a jarring evolution in how war is broadcast in real time.

The IDF Spokesperson's current Twitter page is screencapped below, but if you look at the earlier version above, you will see at least one familiar blog among their first 10 follows.

Labels: IDF, Operation Pillar of Defense, Twitter

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:26 PM