Mapping the Information- Sharing Ecosytem of

BY LARA SETRAKIAN AND ALEX ZERDEN

he duration and danger of covering the Syrian civil war has forced journalists to innovate how they capture, curate, and transmit news from the ground. Activists and Syrian citizens, T equipped with mobile phone devices and internet connectivity, have uploaded reams of user-generated content to YouTube and social media channels. In response to an ever more com- plex information environment, a team of journalists and technologists came together to create Syria Deeply, a single subject news outlet that generates focused coverage of the crisis. Still in its early days as an independent media platform, Syria Deeply employs a modular, dashboard design to capture traditional reporting, social media insight, and data visualization. In doing so, it brings together disparate streams of open source information. The end result is coverage with greater depth and context around an unfolding crisis. This article sketches out how the platform works and the value it provides in monitoring conflicts and complex issues. The Syrian crisis represents a news and information challenge that foreshadows future global conflicts. The lack of Western journalists deployed to cover the country, due to the physical dan- gers and financial constraints of the conflict, has resulted in a paucity of facts sourced by profes- sional media. This information gap has been filled by citizen journalists and media activists, creating reams of user-generated content on media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Skype and YouTube. The result is a detailed but flawed picture of events in theater. The complexity of global events and the hyper-connectivity of an online world pose chal- lenges and opportunities for professional newsgatherers. The proliferation of locally sourced content overwhelms traditional newsrooms. There are substantial new data streams to track – more voices that need to be listened to, accounted for, fact-checked, and understood. More detailed focus and specialized knowledge becomes a pre-requisite to effectively and accurately cover today’s complex stories. Whether we examine conflicts such as Syria’s, or global trends like food and energy security, global issues require consistent attention and a capacity for greater sense-making. One must make better use of all the information available.

Lara Setrakian is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of Syria Deeply. Alex Zerden is an Advisor to Syria Deeply.

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Syria Deeply arose to meet that challenge. of the . Their use of the internet, Though barely one year old (founded in specifically social media tools like Facebook December 2012), the platform grew out of a and web broadcasting platforms like YouTube recognized need for more consistent reporting and Bambuser, has fundamentally reshaped on the Syrian conflict than was available in political life in the . The internet is mainstream media outlets. The platform func- a parallel press, dominated by young voices tions as a specialized, issue-specific news and inclusive of content and conversations source, benefiting from deep knowledge and heretofore shunned by an often state-con- earned insight on Syria. The dedication of trolled mainstream media. Syria Deeply’s experienced editorial leadership The Middle East’s transition to the inter- to covering one story in depth has combined net introduced unfamiliar paradigms in cap- the benefits of deep domain expertise and turing and conveying regional events to the focused attention to Syria’s dynamic informa- outside world. The “Green Movement” of pro- tion ecosystem. tests against former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s 2009 re-election The internet is a parallel press, dominated challenged the Islamic Republic and ushered by young voices and inclusive of content and in the tools of revolt we recognize today. conversations heretofore shunned by an often During that uprising, one of the authors state-controlled mainstream media. worked with sources inside who used YouTube, Facebook, and email to convey what was happening around the country – far from the reach of any foreign news outlet. Syria Deeply benefits from the techno- Confidential sources would provide digital dis- logical innovations of social media and digital patches, which could be synthesized and storytelling, but is firmly rooted in the belief shared on Twitter, and occasionally included that the future of news lies in its past. In the in television and radio reports for ABC News. spirit of traditional journalism, it pursues Despite overwhelming evidence that sug- newsgathering as a public service and a means gests a new era of information consumption, to provide the best and most complete infor- it is worth noting that the impact of technol- mation. That approach has yielded positive ogy on news coverage is not universally feedback not only from readers, but from sto- accepted as game-changing. Evgeny Morozov, rytellers, all of whom appreciate an unwaver- for example, has argued that social media can ing commitment to producing high-quality, cut both ways: it enables activists but at the fact-checked content from carefully vetted and same time leaves them vulnerable and exposed curated sources. to authority. Malcolm Gladwell has sparred with others over the true impact of technology The Rise of a New Media Middle East on political change in the Arab world, arguing Syria Deeply’s founding mirrors the rise of that the impact of Facebook and Twitter has new media in the Middle East. Arab millenni- been overplayed and cannot replace personal als, classically defined as those under the age contact. As journalists who have witnessed the of 30, comprise more than half the population impact of social media in accelerating Arab

134 | FROM THE FIELD SYRIA SUPPLEMENTAL MAPPING THE INFORMATION SHARING SYSTEM IN SYRIA political movements, Syria Deeply aligns with international audience. By starting at the root those who claim that internet technology has of the information chain, in Skype chat rooms, revolutionized society and its interaction with savvy newsgatherers can access information news. As Clay Shirky, a professor at New York hours or sometimes days before it emerges in University, wrote in the March/April 2011 edi- the mainstream press. tion of Foreign Affairs: With hundreds of thousands of citizen journalists in Syria, the challenge is to identify, Do social media allow insurgents to adopt vet, validate, and convey a carefully cultivated new strategies? And have those strategies stream of information that provides a clear ever been crucial? Here, the historical picture of the complex conflict. Syria Deeply record of the last decade is unambiguous: works to mix digital tools with the human ele- yes, and yes. ment to build an online situational awareness capacity whereby the most relevant informa- The has demonstrated that tion can rapidly be woven into a narrative whole political systems can be changed or about the conflict at large. With the growing overturned by the disruptive actions of less influence of “data journalism,” we may soon than 10 percent of their population. This 10 find a greater realm of tools available to auto- percent of the population was mobilized mate and curate these information streams. At online, spurred to protest offline, and then the moment, we believe the best results are returned online to self-report their protests in achieved by a dedicated team that covers the amateur videos and voices from the ground. story consistently and applies focus and rigor From open protests in Tehran to Cairo, to to information that emerges from traditional more subtle forms of dissent in Riyadh and sources and from users on the ground. Rabat, connectivity has unquestionably been Filling the “Information Gap” the catalyst. In the Syrian context, the tools are similar With unprecedented information-sharing to Iran’s Green Movement, with some new vectors, the Syrian conflict represents the grow- developments. The ground war in Syria leans ing divide between accessible news and what heavily on an information network built over gets reported. The information gap can be Skype, whose voice over internet protocol bridged by accommodating new forms of news (VOIP) technology serves as the frontline of while remaining true to time-tested journalis- Syria’s information war. As an alternate to tic standards, maintaining rigorously vetted government-monitored telephone and mobile and fact-checked sources. We see three chal- phone connections, Skype allows activists and lenges – or gaps – for news coverage of the rebel groups to use private chat rooms for Syria crisis: sharing information and posting real time First, the Syria crisis is a complex global battle updates. Many of these updates are issue in an under-resourced news environ- posted to activist accounts on Facebook, which ment. Similar past conflicts would have seen often sparks heated debate among Syrian more reporters dedicated to covering the latest users. Some of the information posted on developments. In ’s Civil War, major Facebook is shared on Twitter to reach a wider, networks and newspapers had full-time crews

SYRIA SUPPLEMENTAL FROM THE FIELD | 135 SETRAKIAN AND ZERDEN and fully staffed bureaus continuously cover- Voisin in early 2013. CPJ’s latest report in ing the conflict. Today, a patchwork of occa- August 2013 suggests at least 14 journalists sional pieces from the theater provides only have gone missing in Syria, though they expect limited snapshots into what is happening on that number to be a significant underestimate. the ground. Exceptions exist, such as Nour Local knowledge, when well-utilized, Malas of the Wall Street Journaland Rania offers a crucial perspective and mitigates the Abuzeid, a regular contributor to the New operational risk of deploying foreign journal- Yorker and America. Their consistent ists. To this end, we have developed reporters reporting spans the life of the conflict, but who are based on the ground in Syria and are their coverage is the exception and no longer supported by a senior editor who rotates into the rule. opposition-held territory. We supplement this Second, the security situation for journal- physical presence with assistance from Syrians ists, both foreign and local, remains especially located elsewhere throughout the country. concerning. According to the Committee to While we temper our on-the-ground reporting Protect Journalists (CPJ), the 2012 death toll to protect our team and our sources, local in Syria for journalists was on par with Iraq in knowledge offers an important perspective to 2006 and 2007. Nearly thirty journalists were our audience. killed. The toll on journalists continues with Third, freelance foreign journalists have the death of French photographer Olivier attempted to fill the void left within this fluid SYRIAN OFFICIAL NEWS AGENCY SANA

Syrians standing at the scene after a blast occurred in the Mazzeh al-Jabal district of the Syrian capital Damascus – no place for timid journalists

136 | FROM THE FIELD SYRIA SUPPLEMENTAL MAPPING THE INFORMATION SHARING SYSTEM IN SYRIA media environment. This development creates opposition captured infantry school near security and reporting accuracy concerns, espe- Aleppo. Having native Arabic fluency and cially as freelancer reporters often cover their familiarity with the area, he was able to pro- own expenses until a media outlet decides to vide striking insights into the composition and publish their content. Such an arrangement sensibilities of the fighters. often rewards less experienced journalists will- In another example, a group of fighters ing to take greater risks to develop a reputable were escorting journalists through the school byline. This arrangement endangers lives and grounds by attempting to maneuver some cars degrades the quality of coverage in Syria and through a narrow corridor. A young fighter, an elsewhere. While we may be seeing a change in auto-mechanic before the conflict, had an this trend - as several British outlets began uncanny confidence in judging the width refusing freelance submissions, including the needed to maneuver the vehicles without dam- Sunday Times, The Guardian, Observer and aging them on the compound walls. As our Independent - however, the perceived rewards editor observed, blue-collar workers like this will still likely outweigh the risks for many auto mechanic were increasingly forming the freelancers interested in covering the Syria con- core of the Syrian rebels. Middle-class profes- flict. sionals, such as doctors and lawyers, had These three challenges are naturally inter- mostly left Syria. This level of insight helps related: the greater the strain on traditional interested followers see the bigger picture of news outlets, the less they can steadily fund the conflict’s trajectory while understanding reporters to consistently cover key issues. the human elements that drive it. Often, freelance reporters fill this void, with This human element guides our focus on consequences in terms of content and, in con- amplifying civilian voices, often underreported flict zones like Syria, enormous risk. in a war zone where more concentrated atten- Syria Deeply’s position is to mitigate these tion is usually paid to powerful stakeholders challenges by developing relationships across like Islamist rebel groups and their rivals in the networks in the digital and physical domains. Syrian government. Yet the day-to-day dynam- We cultivate information exchange with activ- ics of survival will shape the future of Syrian ists and Syrian citizen journalists, who reach society. We summarized our findings in a out to us to share their perspectives. This com- Foreign Policy article in January 2013: bination of focused reporting using carefully “Chaos is tearing apart Syria’s social fab- developed sources through traditional and ric. We’ve written about how Syria’s young new media methods is not only the core of women face forced marriage for the sake of the Syria Deeply’s effort, but increasingly resem- bride price, their families desperate to live off bles the key for translating information into their dowry. Funerals, a solemn but sacred tra- reporting in the new media environment. dition in Aleppo, have devolved into a stock The human element of our coverage dumping of bodies, devoid of religious ritual. improves our ground knowledge. For instance, Profiteering has left citizens disgusted and dis- during January 2013, one of our senior editors trustful of each other as they witness price covered fighters with the Tawhid Brigade, a gauging of food and basic necessities ­the large FSA-affiliated militant group, at an haves ripping off the have­nots.”

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Accounting for the civilian story, the Yet phones and internet connections were impact of the conflict on everyday Syrian life, widely believed to be monitored by the gov- is an essential storyline. It provides us a sense ernment, a perception bolstered by Bashar al- of the Syria that will emerge from the rubble, Assad’s well-publicized former position as and it helps us build relationships - not only head of the Syrian Computer Society. predicated on the activities of fighters but also Furthermore, Rami Maklouf, Assad’s cousin the sentiments of civilians. tightly controls Syria’s telecommunications market; he is the largest single shareholder of Information Sharing Dynamics Inside Syria SyriaTel and also has an interest in its only competitor, MTN-Syria.1 Like most Arab countries before the 2011 This historical relationship to communi- revolutions, Syria’s information sharing cations technology is quite different from dynamics were limited and opaque as a func- many parts of the Arab world. According to tion of the reality of life under Ba’ath Party Freedom House, Syria had one of the least rule. A lack of economic development and developed telecommunications infrastructure heavy censorship slowed the spread and pen- in the Middle East at the outset of the 2011 etration of communications technology in revolution. When social media debuted in Syria. Syria, even to a small audience, it bridged a Until the early 1990’s, there were only two major connectivity gap, creating affinity groups television channels widely available, Syria 1 of like-minded activists who had never before and Syria 2, both of which were state owned realized they had allies around the country. It and operated. By 1993, satellite dishes were also connected Syrians at home to those in the available on the black market for the high diaspora, catalyzing what would become a key price of roughly $600-700 USD, but they were pipeline of support for the Syrian rebels. technically illegal. According to our senior edi- Today’s Information-Sharing Ecosystem tor, who grew up in Aleppo, intelligence offi- cers ran extortion rackets whereby they would Social media has been a key tool for activ- routinely go house to house removing receiv- ists in all countries involved in the Arab ers and fining residents, only to resell the Spring,2 as a means to circumvent authorities receivers for profit. and organize and mobilize dissent. Social In addition to satellite television, Syria movements coalesced online, becoming the was late to embrace cell phones and the inter- connective tissue that allowed protesters to net. A year after inheriting Syria from his father organize and publicize their demonstrations. in 2000, Bashar Assad reigned over a country Given the significant restrictions on freedom with one percent cell phone penetration rates of the press, the freedom of the digital domain and only one third of one percent with inter- was a quantum step in terms of greater organi- net access. By the end of 2011, according to zational capacity. Social media was used to Freedom House, cell phone penetration had circumvent authority, serving as an enabler in reached 63 percent of the population and countries with a previously weak capacity to internet use increased to 20 percent. organize. It brought down the transaction cost

138 | FROM THE FIELD SYRIA SUPPLEMENTAL MAPPING THE INFORMATION SHARING SYSTEM IN SYRIA for protest – one that had been prohibitively and videos of those protests soon surfaced on high for activists in , , and . YouTube. The organizers of what would In the case of Syria, the cost of dissent and become Shaam News Network, an anti-regime political association was even more extreme, outlet, began collecting videos of protests in and the impact of connective technologies Syria and organized a countrywide network of even more marked. Facebook and YouTube photographers designed to give the world a had been blocked for years before the March view from inside Syria. It was dramatically dif- 2011 uprising, but the Syrian regime suddenly ferent from the Syrian government narrative, lifted this restriction in the heat of the represented by news outlets such as al‑Dounia Egyptian revolution. In what some see as a tac- News and the Syrian Arab News Agency tical ploy, the move gave Syria’s Mukhabarat – (SANA). In addition to presenting its own nar- the government intelligence service – greater rative of the crisis, the government severely freedom to monitor and penalize online activ- restricted foreign journalists from entering the ists on government networks. This temporarily country. But once they did, news media tech- exposed activists, who now access Facebook nology allowed these reporters greater freedom through a proxy server, which circumvents the than ever before. For instance, an American government block and masks their digital journalist working for Reuters, Suleiman movements. El-Khalidi, went to jail and reported about his It is worth noting that Facebook penetra- incarceration. The narrative/counter-narrative tion rates at the start of Syria’s uprising were information war continues in Syria today and not high. In Syria, they represented roughly poses a significant challenge to ground-truth- one percent of the population according to a ing news. 2010 Dubai School of Government report. This fact may explain three things: one, that When social media debuted in Syria, even to a Facebook alone was not the source of wide- small audience, it bridged a major connectivity spread influence; two, that a small number of gap, creating affinity groups of like-minded well-networked activists can start a monumen- activists who had never before realized they had tal information movement using Facebook allies around the country. and other digital tools; and three, that Facebook use has evolved and grown signifi- cantly over the course of the conflict. Now it is a forum for civic discourse, through popular Our experience is that the dominant infor- discussion pages and threads that tear down or mation dynamic within Syria is decidedly low- transcend long-standing taboos on political tech. Word of mouth is a primary vehicle, espe- dissent. cially in more remote parts of the country and The Syrian uprising did not begin online, areas where violence occurs frequently. We but it was accelerated through online plat- have repeatedly encountered “fog of war” chal- forms. The spark of the revolution was lit in lenges while reporting in Syria, cases in which Deraa on March 18, 2011, when mothers pro- some interviewees do not know with clarity tested the detention of their teenage sons for what is going on three or four towns away. To writing anti-Assad graffiti. Protests continued, combat this, rebel groups collect equipment to

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Word of mouth remains a primary method of transmitting news in Syria; in mosques, souks, and street bazaars communicate via radio, but even they may not equipment has limited bandwidth. Instead of know what is going on 15 to 20 kilometers using such equipment, those inside Syria who away from their location. receive enough money from other foreign gov- Despite this low-tech environment, satel- ernments and foreign activists buy more lite stations have popped up to beam stories expensive and capable devices, with a wider into pro-opposition communities, such as reach inside the country. Diesel generators are Syria al-Ghad and Aleppo News. National the preferred means for generating the electric- Public Radio’s Deborah Amos, a senior advisor ity to power such devices. to Syria Deeply, covered the use of Aleppo One private satellite internet provider News. This satellite channel broadcasts used in Syria is Tooway, a European company. YouTube videos and includes social network The receiver can download data at up to 20 updates as a ticker at the bottom of the screen. megabytes per second, a speed comparable to While the approach appears rudimentary, for high-speed service in the U.S. The service is people without a computer or internet, it is expensive, costing approximately $2,000 (U.S. their only way to get real time news about dollars) for the initial set-up, plus $200 per events unfolding inside Syria. month for a 50 gigabyte usage fee. This 50 Those with internet, such as the rebels and gigabyte allotment is often insufficient for activists, access information satellite internet uploading High-Definition (HD) video, so cards. U.S. distributed communications some users purchase two or more packages.

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One Syria Deeply reporter noted a recent rise activists will record a bombing or another inci- in Tooway satellites in early 2013, with five dent on video. They will then take it to Skype devices seen in three villages near Idlib. These and disseminate it to a select group of other devices were likely brought through Turkey, activists. Subsequently, they will upload it and though it is unclear who paid for such expen- share with a Facebook community group. sive equipment. Occasionally it will be shared on Twitter. We have found these activist groups to be The Syrian Information Ecosystem: Getting Ahead of the News Cycle well-organized to serve larger strategic organi- zational goals. They often try to build relation- By understanding the Syrian information ships with Arabic-language satellite channels ecosystem, Syria Deeply has been able to more such as Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya, which both effectively monitor and package information have high viewership across the Arab world. In coming out of the country. Our reporting is this respect, the methods employed resemble founded on traditional methods: reaching very traditional mechanisms used to gain vis- trusted sources quickly with the right ques- ibility among large audiences. tions. But translating this process to the digital A profit motive may exist for some activ- domain requires fluency in social media com- ists and local journalists to cooperate with munication and the ability to regularly pulse pan-Arab and international media outlets. trusted online news sources. Fixers in places like Antakya, Turkey, have In the fall of 2012, Syria Deeply had been exclusive contracts with specific media organi- hearing multiple reports in social media about zations. Such non-competition agreements a breakthrough among the Syrian opposition have made it increasingly difficult for freelanc- groups – primarily through Skype chat rooms, ers and incoming news organizations to find but also on Twitter and Facebook. Combing sources in northern Syria. Arabic-language social media using vetted, On February 22, 2013, Syria Deeply pro- trustworthy contacts means that stories can be filed Mohamed Masalmeh, a reporter from captured 24-48 hours before they appear in Deraa who was killed on January 18, 2013. international news reports. The chatter we Mohamed originally reported for Sham News were hearing in social media quickly crystal- Network before taking a contract with ized around the emergence of Riad Seif, a Al-Jazeera. Other local journalists have respected Damascus businessman, whose plan received offers but want to remain indepen- to reorganize the Syrian opposition was dent. These journalists create and sell video embraced by the U.S. in October 2012. News packages, but are not beholden to any one spe- of his plan was being discussed in Arabic lan- cific media outlet. guage Facebook groups at least 48 hours Paradoxically, the evolution of informa- before Josh Rogin broke the story in his blog tion dissemination occurs in a relatively egali- on Foreign Policy. tarian manner. Everybody gets the information As this incident illustrates, much of the at almost the same time. People who are actu- information now coming out of Syria origi- ally in the Skype chat rooms get it first, but nates on Facebook and Skype through activists even something as simple as signing up for an on the ground. In the typical supply chain, activist Facebook page provides access to

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information that often precedes by two days deeper and better knowledge. To harness this what is reported on television and print. For capability, the Syria Deeply team has reviewed journalists, this provides a helpful service, gen- many web outlets and met with many activists. erating information hours before wire services Some activists will lie to bolster their own nar- like Reuters, Agence France-Presse (AFP), and rative, as they may be desperate to advance the Associated Press (AP) are on the story. Even their cause or receive funding. Syria Deeply the New York Times now runs a curated takes this into account as we cultivate sources YouTube video feed with analysis. and consider their input. Moreover, acknowledging and reporting Accuracy and Reliability In The New Environment the Syrian government view allows us to pro- vide our readers a more complete rendering of Syria Deeply navigates an information- the conflict to make their own conclusions rich but analytically poor environment to about a given issue. We incorporate Syrian gov- report its stories. We employ tried and true ernment narratives through state-owned media methods of traditional journalism: building outlets, state press conferences, along with contacts, nurturing relationships, and develop- allied narratives from Russia and Iran. ing trust with our sources. However, unlike in Throughout the course of our reporting, we other contexts, we rarely, if ever, have a chance have to do an extremely diligent job of getting to meet those sources in person. As we advance this perspective. This approach also allows us digital newsgathering, new methods to vet to remain outcome neutral as to the events sources and fact check reports must be used to unfolding in Syria. ensure the accuracy of our reporting: Who Many start-up news outlets focusing on introduced us to this contact? Do they have the Syrian crisis pursue agendas to influence any other digital footprints we can verify for user opinions and attitudes. In contrast, Syria their identity? How accurate was their previous Deeply aspires to be a platform that rests on reporting? Over time, we have been able to an objective goal to increase understanding of answer these questions through a large net- the conflict, in a collaborative and intellectu- work of personal contacts and the ability to ally honest approximation of the truth. Our quickly review digital signatures of new con- readers recognize and appreciate our multi- tacts. This vetting process allows us to build leveled focus – from militant groups to civilian reliable sources. stories. Our commitment to the Syria story Covering the entire story is a central aspect improves the quality of our network of like- of traditional journalism that provides our minded mission-driven individuals. This dif- readers with the necessary information to ferentiates Syria Deeply from other media out- make conclusions based on our reporting. It lets. We can better serve our users by staying also fits into our model to be outcome neutral. with the story over time and using the best of Other online and new media sources often technology in concert with traditional journal- shed this objectivity, endangering their report- ism that educates and informs its audience to ing and reporters. Syria Deeply is committed evaluate complex issues. The fact is that with to being an information platform, not an more content, there is an opportunity for advocacy organization.

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Conclusion: How “Deeply” Platforms Can expansion is already under consideration. Advance Conflict Monitoring Platforms on transnational issues such as Climate Change Deeply, Drug War Deeply, or Syria Deeply was founded to provide con- Malaria Deeply, are also under consideration. tent with context on the unfolding humanitar- Whatever the topic, the methodology and ian and political crisis in Syria and its spillover the value proposition remain the same. The effect in neighboring countries. We leverage combination of news, knowledge, and insight, digital tools, like real time Twitter feeds, delivered in an accessible format, can deliver a Google Hangout chats, and innovative data significant edge to the user – an open-source visualization techniques, with the time-tested opportunity to grasp and track what is going skills of traditional journalism. We then incor- on. Those who navigate issues through a porate a rigorous editorial review process with “Deeply” design can emerge with a more curated content, blending original reporting robust picture and more complete understand- from the ground with the best of the web to ing, for an enhanced ability to operate in an create a new user experience for complex for- ever more complex world. PRISM eign news issues and crises like Syria. This experiment has not only become an important source for understanding the Syrian conflict, but also represents a methodology for understanding complex issues using 21st cen- tury tools. It is meant to evolve with user feed- NOTES back and technological innovations. Rather than a traditional newspaper online, the Syria 1 For additional information on Syria’s cell Deeply platform is a dashboard for a range of phone penetration, see http://www.unhcr.org/ users to immerse themselves in the issues of refworld/pdfid/502a0c520.pdf along with the 2012 the conflict to leave with a fuller and more Freedom House “Freedom on the Net” report, http:// www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net/2012/ accurate view of the facts. Rather than a blog, syria Syria Deeply is a platform focused on growing 2 It is worth noting that many voices in the as a trusted destination, fusing the ease and region prefer the expression “Arab Awakening” over the term “Arab Spring,” considering the latter to be a accessibility of digital media with the rigor of sanguine misnomer. traditional news reporting. We remain com- mitted to the story, to cover the evolution of Syria’s conflict and eventual recovery. Syria Deeply is an innovative, replicable model for conflict monitoring and reporting, with myriad applications in the modern digital information environment. The model that Syria Deeply refines and iterates can be expanded to cover a range of global issues – imagine an Iran Deeply, Pakistan Deeply, Egypt Deeply, or Mali Deeply. Such an

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