So, Gordon Brown gave a talk at TED Global that argues that “foreign policy can never be the same again” because instantaneous digital communication makes it necessary that the masses are heeded. It’s nice to see someone in his position aware and passionate about technology’s ability to change the world for the better, but I think he falls prey to the over-optimism that too often shapes these discussions.

Take a look at some of his examples in the above video:

• #IranElection Twitter activity and #Neda [yet, Ahmadinejad was just sworn in]
• The Saffron Revolution in Burma [yet, the Junta remains in power]
• The Ethiopian and Sudanese children dying during famine [yet, poverty remains rampant in the African horn]
• Tienanmen Square tank man [yet, China is now even more powerful and far from democratic]

Now, to be fair, PM Brown’s real call was for a truly global society built on solid institutions, but his focus on media and technology distracts from the real power structures that are far more resilient than, say, the voting of American Idol, where text messaging actually does matter.

Remember, the two Current.tv journalists weren’t released because of Twitter activity. It took some high-power diplomacy.