infobong.com

Reporters Without Borders just released a "Handbook for Bloggers and Cyberdissidents," which looks like a wonderful primer for people interested in blog culture and starting a blog. I like the title; I'd rather be a "cyberdissident," than a "blogger." The pamphlet offers advice on starting a blog, strategies for issues like maintaining anonymity and avoiding censorship, and personal profiles of bloggers from around the world. Reporters Without Borders says the books is available in bookstores for €10, but you can download the whole thing as a .pdf.

Occasionally people ask me about starting a blog or general questions about blogging, and I might start pointing people to this publication. I think you need to understand the operational issues of blogging before you can understand how blogs function socially, so this will be useful for potential blog researchers and bloggers. A fellow grad student asked today if I could guest lecture on blogs in a media literacy class for non-majors, and I think I'll hand out the "Language of Blogging" on pages 8 and nine. It has a nice overview of blog jargon, which can sound repetitive and self-referential to people new to blogs.