Venezuela’s socialist President Hugo Chavez is cashing in on what seems to be ‘new’ technology for him. Social media, along with ipods and smartphones gained extreme popularity after Y2K , but it isn’t until now that Chavez is barely starting to realize how much connection the web has to offer. Not too long ago in April, he began to use his BlackBerry phone made by RIM to connect and mobilize others. To connect with his followers he used Twitter, a social networking site to announce the sinking of an offshore natural gas platform and the exhumation of 19th-century independence hero Simon Bolivar. Venezuela’s chief also made a comment on April 29 and said that technology isn’t capitalist, and now two months later he has a new device, and a new message.
“There’s so much technology now, I’ve got a little apparatus that my daughter gave me that’s called an iPod,” Chavez said today on state television during a cultural event in Caracas. “I have like 5,000 songs. It’s tiny, I remember having to go around with a bunch of cassette tapes before.” During that speech he had a new message as well. He requested that his followers use new technology to spread socialist ideas. How effective will social media be if all other executives begin to pick up on this trend? Will other countries that ban the web and social media entirely begin to open it up so they can use it to their advantage? These are considerable questions to look into. Let us know your take on this!
How active of a role does BBM play among presidents? I wonder if the leaders of our nation communicate through BBM? Do you think Obama and Chavez have swapped PINs before?? hmmm..
Source:Bloomberg