While most girls in the United States use Facebook as a tool for keeping up with friends, in Egypt young people recently proved what a powerful website it was by using it to stand up against injustice and spark a revolution. Egypt had been ruled by a dictator who controlled what much of the population did for 29 years (Almost 3 times your age if you are 10), and young Egyptians decided to protest this treatment by marching in the streets, posting on Facebook and Twitter, and using their own creativity to demand change. The government listened, and former Egyptian president and dictator, Hosni Mubarak, stepped down on February 11, 2011, to give way to a new government.
Egyptian girls did not have the freedom we have in the U.S., and many of them were living in a dangerous environment. Girls from lower-income families in Egypt often have to live in the streets and are under constant risk of being kidnapped and forced into slavery. While girls in the U.S. have the freedom to go to school, raise their hands in class and share opinions, many Egyptian girls do not have the same freedoms. Hopefully the new government will protect girls better in the form of things like shelters and laws that guard them and their rights like we have in the U.S. For these girls, the revolution in Egypt means a chance for them to take shelter in safer environments, get an education, and build a better life for themselves.
The revolution in Egypt is a perfect example of how young people can use social networking in a positive way. Although sites like Facebook can be harmful when used irresponsibly, the Egyptian young people have shown that when you use social networking to stand up for yourself and work together with others who have similar goals, a positive, life-changing revolution can come from it. Many girls in Egypt will now have opportunities that they could not have dreamed of before.
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