The month before that, a chorus of outrage on Twitter and Facebook helped to push officials at the Susan G. Komen For the Cure to to cut funding for Planned Parenthood programs.

"The immediacy and global reach of these social sites has indeed driven appreciable social change, be it raising the awareness of worthy causes or empowering the disenfranchised," said Shimmin. "Twitter and Facebook are simply mediums for a message -- the continuing realization of the simple desire to hear and to be heard."

Sharon Gaudin covers the Internet and Web 2.0, emerging technologies, and desktop and laptop chips for Computerworld. Follow Sharon on Twitter at , on or subscribe to . Her email address is .

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