Libyans Using Coded Dating Site Messages To Avoid Government Monitoring

from the can't-stop-technology dept

A few different people have sent over this fascinating story of how Libyans have been using a popular muslim dating site to communicate about the protests in that country. It's been widely covered how various protesters around the middle east have been using tools like Facebook and Twitter to organize and communicate, and governments have been responding to that fact, often shutting off access to those sites, or at least monitoring them very, very closely. In order to avoid that, apparently some of the conversations in Libya have migrated to this dating site. The article at ABC News includes plenty of details about how people are communicating on the site, and it's worth a read. Here's a snippet:
The phrase "May your day be full of Jasmine," for example, is a coded reference to what's been called the Jasmine Revolution sweeping the region, Mahmoudi told ABC News.

He said the response, "And the same to you. I hope you will call me" meant they were ready to begin.

If the undercover "lovers" wrote "I want love," it meant "I want liberty," Mahmoudi said.

They also communicated in code the number of their comrades supporting the revolution. The five Ls in the phrase "I LLLLLove you," for example, meant they had five people with them.
Yet another reminder that no matter how hard governments try to suppress certain forms of communication, people always seek out alternative means.
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Filed Under: communications, dating, libya, messages, protests


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  1. icon
    Sarah Black (profile), 28 Feb 2011 @ 4:52am

    I guess they moved from adding encrypted messages in digital images (on Flikr & Picasa) to code-words & phrases on dating sites.

    Little Orphan Annie, with her decoder ring, would be proud of these guys!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. icon
    Planespotter (profile), 28 Feb 2011 @ 4:53am

    I wonder how long that site will remain accessible?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. icon
    Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 28 Feb 2011 @ 4:56am

    Mistranslation

    I left a message stating "I want love" which, when decoded (I want liberty) was discovered on this dating site by my wife, became "I want a divorce" rather than the hopeful statement of solidarity I hoped it would be.

    She apparently has contacted some LLLLLawyers.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. icon
    Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 28 Feb 2011 @ 4:58am

    Re: Mistranslation

    "was" should be "and" (if that clarifies anything...)

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 28 Feb 2011 @ 5:37am

    Also the Chinese is using government words for their communication and some idiosyncrasies (e.g. 8x8=64=6/4=Tienanmen Massacre date)

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    beckerist, 28 Feb 2011 @ 6:02am

    Re:

    LOL as long as it's not an advertisement for Ovaltine :-D

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. icon
    Bas Grasmayer (profile), 28 Feb 2011 @ 6:19am

    Re: Twitter/Facebook revolution

    Does this mean we can now officially brand this uprising as the "internet dating revolution"?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. identicon
    fogbugzd, 28 Feb 2011 @ 6:31am

    not convinced

    I don't doubt that revolutionaries have found alternatives to Facebook and twitter. However I am highly dubious when it comes to the messages and their hidden meanings. This sounds like someones fantasy about how a system might work than a practical communication system for the masses.

    If anything it is most likely to describe a private channel rather than a widespread system. I think the significance of twitter and Facebook were that the massive numbers of people could be mobilized quickly and that the protesters themselves were letting the world know what was actually happening on the ground.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  9. icon
    Ben (profile), 28 Feb 2011 @ 7:04am

    Way to destroy the revolution ABC

    You just gave the Libyan government the key to decoding their conversations, and have rendered the date site methods pointless

    link to this | view in thread ]

  10. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 28 Feb 2011 @ 7:09am

    Re: Way to destroy the revolution ABC

    If Americans were involved, accusations of treason would've already been flying around. But since it is happening in Lybia, everything is A-OK.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  11. identicon
    Ryan Diederich, 5 Mar 2011 @ 11:19pm

    hmmmm

    I get the feeling that the people in power over there dont consider american websites as a place to be searching for ways to find out whats going on with their people. Thats just me though.

    You can always tell how the media folks will see something, and how they can pull something out of nothing. Im not sure how much of this story I can believe, but at least the last part about the numbe of people with them Im sure.

    That one makes sense to me, but the rest of them could just be silly media people thinking what they do.

    It reminds me of the parents guide to internet slang and stuff like that.

    andwhy

    link to this | view in thread ]

  12. identicon
    Rencontre musulmane, 4 Aug 2011 @ 11:14am

    Great story !

    I love this !
    It's a very poetic idea to use a dating site to display politic meaning !
    Clever idea to fight for freedom...

    link to this | view in thread ]


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