Yesterday, the Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder compared following Twitter’s Iran post-election tweets to sifting through reams of intelligence like a government agent. Turns out the State Department is doing exactly that, using the site to glean information about ongoing events on the ground. But even more than that, State recognizes the vital role Twitter and other social-networking sites are serving in allowing the opposition to communicate and organize, and is working “to make sure their networks stay up and running for Iranians to use them and helping them stay ahead of anyone who would try to shut them down.” In fact, last night’s Twitter-maintenance delay? A State Department request. So much for President Obama’s fear of appearing to meddle in the affairs of Iran. [AC360/CNN]
