The Guardian columnist, researcher and writer Evgeny Mozorov had closely been following the Velvet Revolution of Armenia.

He points to the potential dangers for a new generation of politicians who suddenly realized they could speak directly to people bypassing various intermediary institutions, including journalists.

“There is a theoretical possibility that you always have to keep in mind and we have to understand that by and large there is always a danger of opening up to the small populist, occasionally more demagogic type of discourse which social media makes possible.”

Evgeny Morozov never prioritizes technology and social media but insists:

“We need to try to build checks and balances. Let’s say, to prevent this usurpation of the media by these populist leaders.”

Gegham Vardanyan