Twitter and its creators are worthy of being considered for the Nobel Peace Prize for the role they played during the recent civil unrest in Iran, according to a former US national security adviser.
Mark Pfeifle, a former aide for George W Bush, suggests that Twitter be considered for the Nobel Peace Prize, which is awarded to those who push for "fraternity between nations" and for "holding the promotion of peace", reports Brand Republic.
Previous winners of the Nobel Peace Prize include Mother Teresa, Mikhail Gorbachev, Martin Luther King Jr, the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela and Apple board member Al Gore.
Writing in the Christian Science Monitor, Pfeifle said: "When traditional journalists were forced to leave the country, Twitter became a window for the world to view hope, heroism, and horror.
"It became the assignment desk, the reporter, and the producer. And, because of this, Twitter and its creators are worthy of being considered for the Nobel Peace Prize."
"I first mentioned this idea while being interviewed on a cable news program [Fox News]. Many scoffed. That's understandable. But think about what Twitter has accomplished: It has empowered people to attempt to resolve a domestic showdown with international implications - and has enabled the world to stand with them. It laid the foundation to pressure the world to denounce oppression in Iran.
"Twitter has been criticized as a time-waster - a way for people to inform their friends about the minutiae of their lives, 140 characters at a time. But in the past month, 140 characters were enough to shine a light on Iranian oppression and elevate Twitter to the level of change agent. Even the government of Iran has been forced to utilize the very tool they attempted to squelch to try to hold on to power.
"Without Twitter, the world might have known little more than a losing candidate accusing the powers that be of alleged fraud. Without Twitter, the people of Iran would not have felt empowered and confident to stand up for freedom and democracy. They did so because they knew the world was watching. With Twitter, they now shout hope with a passion and dedication that resonates not just with those on their street, but with millions across the globe. "
Pfeifle also commended other social media sites such as Facebook - on which Iranian presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi has amassed more than 100,000 supporters.
At the height of the Iranian protest activities more than 221,000 Iran tweets were sent in an hour. In one day, 3,000 Iranian videos were uploaded on YouTube, and 2.2 million blog entries were posted.
Mark Pfeifle was deputy national security adviser for strategic communications and global outreach at the National Security Council from 2007 to 2009. In January 2009 Fort Leavenworth Commander and former Iraq War spokesman LTG William B. Caldwell awarded Pfeifle the Army's Outstanding Civilian Service Award for "dramatically improved communication planning and strategies... in support of the Global War on Terror."