There is a widespread belief that the Internet provides real opportunities for democratization and\r\npolitical transformation, especially in authoritarian regimes characterized by a strong restriction\r\non freedom of speech and expression and inability of civic engagement and participation. Such role\r\nhas been clearly witnessed with the rise of the Arab spring in general, and in Egypt in particular.\r\nDuring the 18 days of the Egyptian revolution starting on 25th January 2011, and afterwards, the\r\nInternet proved to be an important tool in mobilizing people, coordinating between protestors and\r\ndocumenting and publishing facts that occurred on the ground during the revolution. However,\r\nsuch optimistic view cannot be supported unconditionally due to several reasons related to the\r\nuniqueness of each country. This paper therefore attempts to critically examine the potential of the\r\nInternet on the political transformation in Egypt taking into consideration a full context covering\r\neconomical, political, technological and social dimensions. Studying these various aspects would\r\nhighlight the challenges and opportunities that affect the Internet in changing the political situation\r\nduring the transitional period the country is going through.
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