At a certain point, a critical mass of people either have used the Internet or have expectations. Anything less than the free flow of information will be seen as having something taken away. We’ve seen time and again – in Egypt and Iran, for example – that creates a backlash. Jared Cohen Read Quote
The virtual world is a ‘public square’ much more vast than Tiananmen Square. And you can’t send in the tanks to crush the netizens. Jared Cohen Read Quote
It is difficult to predict technology more than 10 years out with any certitude, but what I observe is that change and innovation happens earlier and faster than we expect. We are constantly surprised at what technology can do. Jared Cohen Read Quote
The importance of human judgment does not evaporate in the future, and as connected individuals, we will have to exercise sound judgment about what we choose to share or not share about ourselves. Jared Cohen Read Quote
Technology is a tool, and it’s a platform. Nobody gets arrested for being a blogger; people get arrested for dissent. Nobody gets arrested for putting information about themselves online; they get arrested for being an activist. I’m a strong believer in the fact that you should not blame the tools; you should blame the circumstances. Jared Cohen Read Quote
I think, when I wrote ‘Children of Jihad,’ I wrote it with a very optimistic view of what technology can do. Today I maintain that optimistic view, but I’m also aware of the challenges we have. So I would say I’m not a techno-utopian, but I’m a techno-pragmatist. Jared Cohen Read Quote
I dislike the phrase ‘social media.’ ‘Social media’ is merely a way to describe new tools in an old and narrow paradigm where we measure success by how many people are reached. Jared Cohen Read Quote
I always say that the largest party in every country – the largest opposition group in every country – is the youth party. Jared Cohen Read Quote
Iranian young people are one of the most pro-American populations in the Middle East. Jared Cohen Read Quote
