In the Chinese’ mobile equivalent of the Million Man March, citizens of the Chinese province of Xiamen used 1,000,000 (1 Million) SMS text messages to organize a protest to halt the construction of a $1.4 billion industrial facility, by Tenglong Aromatic PX (Xiamen) Co. Ltd. The plant was slated to produce paraxylene – an eye, nose, and throat irritant to humans under the slightest exposure. Paraxylene is used in the manufacture of plastics, polyester, and film – and is known to cause central nervous system damage and even death from chronic exposure.Â
Chinese officials stopped the plant’s construction after the flurry of SMS text messages prompted them to step back and actually consider more than just the economic benefit. The plant was planned to be built just 10 miles from the center of Xiamen, with homes only 1 mile away.
Deputy Mayor, Ding Guoyan, told Xinhua News Agency, “The Xiamen city government has decided to suspend construction of the PX (paraxylene) plant in Haicang District.”
This could be the first case of a text message protest, not to mention a successful intervention into the Chinese government’s plans – which isn’t easy, by any means.
via: bbc