Here's another sign that new technologies have made things different, and why you might want to get a Twitter account. From an email update from Twitter:
Bucking The System
Last weekend CNN lead with a big story about James Buck, a graduate student in journalism from the University of California-Berkeley who was arrested last month in Mahalla, Egypt while covering an anti-government protest. Thinking quickly, James was able to send a one-word Twitter update: "Arrested." His followers in Egypt and back in the US reacted by contacting the university and the consulate on his behalf. Before long, James was updating Twitter with another one-word message, "Free."
CNN Story: http://tinyurl.com/4b4hsg