Iran Election Tweet Narrative

By: Jeff Clark    Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2009

The world is watching with great interest the demonstrations in Iran related to the recent election. The twittersphere is filled with discussion of the event and, of course, much of it is redundant. I have built a Tweet Narrative based on a collection of ~ 60,000 tweets containing the tag #IranElection. Basically, I divided the tweets into 30 groups based on the time they were published and then statistically select the one tweet most representative for that time slot.

DateCharacteristic Tweet
Jun 14
20:52 gmt
RT @StopAhmadi WTF! They're bringing tanks on the streets in Tehran #iranelection *
Jun 14
22:49 gmt
We people of iran want peace! #CNNfail #iranelection *
Jun 15
00:09 gmt
RT @persiankiwi students being killed in tehran uni dorm in amirabad right now. this must stop. #Iranelection *
Jun 15
00:50 gmt
Follow @Change_for_Iran 5:17am people outside are burning Saderat bank building or as it seems from this far #iranelection *
Jun 15
02:49 gmt
RT @parinaz AhmadiN revoked all permits of foreign media & has instructed them to stop reporting or they will face jail time. #IRANelection *
Jun 15
05:00 gmt
Will you wear green tomorrow to support freedom in Iran? #iranelection #greenscream *
Jun 15
05:38 gmt
RT @greenscreamiran: World to wear green tomorrow for freedom in Iran. RT please. #IranElection #greenscream *
Jun 15
07:11 gmt
RT @IranNewsNow: HUGE NEWS!!!! CNN reports that GRAND AYATOLLA SANAI has issued FATWA to resist govt that steals #IranElection RT THIS *
Jun 15
08:42 gmt
RT @persiankiwi March is NOT CANCELLED today. Mousavi is in danger of being killed. #Iranelection *
Jun 15
11:25 gmt
RT @persiankiwi: March Started: ADVICE - carry photos of imam khomeini. they cannot shoot at us with these. #Iranelection *
Jun 15
11:54 gmt
RT @persiankiwi for later we need proxy address to upload film. we have no upload possibility now, can anyone help? #Iranelection *
Jun 15
13:27 gmt
RT @persiankiwi: Valli Asr st closed to traffic - tens of thousands marching - unbelievable sight. #Iranelection *
Jun 15
15:54 gmt
RT @herrcafe RT @phelo Telegraph reports of Iranian Interior Ministry leak that Ahmedinajad came in thir #IranElection - http://bit.ly/GGUy2 *
Jun 15
17:15 gmt
RT @persiankiwi: streets very dangerous now. groups of militia on motorbikes searching for protesters. #Iranelection *
Jun 15
18:36 gmt
RT @stephenfry Functioning Iran proxies 218.128.112.18:8080 218.206.94.132:808 218.253.65.99:808 219.50.16.70:8080 #IranElection *
Jun 15
20:00 gmt
RT @persiankiwi Gohardasht in Karaj - confirmed - people in street batles with militia - #Iranelection *
Jun 15
21:57 gmt
RT @IranRiggedElect: Please postpone Twitter maintenance #IranElection @twitter @ev @bs @ded @ej @lg @nk @rk @vl @al3x @stop #nomaintenance *
Jun 15
23:23 gmt
RT @nttajohn maintenance is postponed, twitter will be posting press release soon #nomaintenance #iranelection *
Jun 16
00:34 gmt
RT IRAN: we are moving location - seperating - situation in Tehran is tense - cant explain #Iranelection *
Jun 16
03:01 gmt
RT From Iran: CONF: #IRANELECTION tag/string is not filtered in #iran. Plz KEEP USING IT! #iran9 *
Jun 16
03:59 gmt
People in Iran, use https://twitter.com/ instead of http://twitter.com/ to avoid hashtag filtering #Iran9 #IranElection #tehran #iranians *
Jun 16
06:48 gmt
RT from inside Iran: rumour spreading Tehran - Army Generals have met in secret - Army considering position #Iranelection #iran9 *
Jun 16
07:16 gmt
RT @stephenfry @arashamel Pls get this out to your followers. #iranelection has been blocked in Iran. Switch to #Iranians , #Tehran, #Iran9 *
Jun 16
08:29 gmt
RT @stephenfry RT: pls get this out to your followers. #iranelection has been blocked in Iran. Switch to #Iranians , #Tehran, and #Iran9 ... *
Jun 16
10:33 gmt
RT @persiankiwi only official march today is valli asr. others may be a trap - avoid others - #Iranelection #gr88 *
Jun 16
12:51 gmt
#iranelection Iran has banned all foreign journalists from reporting on the sts. *
Jun 16
13:50 gmt
RT @twistedchick: RT URGENT: Army forces entering Tehran. Barricade streets where protests are on. Now. #iranelection #gr88 *
Jun 16
15:05 gmt
RUMOUR: the former prince of #Iran, Reza Pahlavi has announced returning to #Tehran in 36h. #IranElection #GR88 *
Jun 16
16:32 gmt
RT [redacted]: unconfmd major incident at Azadi - shooting - fires - ppl running #Iranelection #gr88 *
Jun 16
19:38 gmt
RT @PCMag: The U.S. State Department asked Twitter to delay downtime to help with #IranElection. *

 


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