Blog censorship handbook released

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4271062.stm

 

 

 

Blog censorship handbook released

 

 

A handbook that offers advice to bloggers who want to protect

themselves from recrimination and censors has been released by

Reporters Without Borders.

 

The media watchdog said it gives people who want to set up a blog tips

on how to do so, how to publicise it, as well as how to establish

credibility.

 

It also offers advice about writing blogs from countries with tough

media restrictions, such as Iran and China.

 

The handbook was part-funded by the French government.

 

Key international bloggers, experts and writers helped to produce the

guidelines, such as US journalist Dan Gillmor and Canadian net

censorship expert, Nart Villeneuve.

 

" Bloggers are often the only real journalists in countries where the

mainstream media is censored or under pressure, " Reporters Without

Borders said on its website.

 

" Only they provide independent news, at the risk of displeasing the

government and sometimes courting arrest. "

 

Blog clamp-down

 

Included in the booklet, called The Handbook for Bloggers and

Cyber-dissidents, is advice about how to blog anonymously, as well as

how to identify the most suitable way to circumvent censorship.

 

It also outlines some help on developing ethical and journalistic values.

 

Blogs - easy-to-set-up diary-like websites - are proving increasingly

popular on the net as vehicles through which people can publish their

own thoughts.

 

Technorati, a blog search engine, tracks more than 17 million blogs

globally. Blogs can be anything from personal diaries, to technology

news, and political comment.

 

Many have turned to blogging in countries where mainstream media is

restricted. But they are increasingly being targeted by strict

authorities.

 

Iranian authorities have been clamping down on mainstream media for

some time, but it has recently turned its attention to

cyber-dissidents and bloggers.

 

Campaign groups say at least two dozen Iranian bloggers have been

jailed as a result of the clamp-down. It is estimated that there are

some 46,000 bloggers in the country.

 

The issue of blog censorship and freedom of speech is truly global,

however.

 

In June, Microsoft's MSN Spaces site in China started to block blog

entries which used words such as " freedom " , " democracy " and

" demonstration " .

 

Microsoft said the company abided by the laws, regulations and norms

of each country in which it operates.

 

China recently introduced regulations that required all blog owners to

register their sites with the state by 30 June.

 

And on Wednesday, two Chinese Singaporeans appeared in court charged

with posting racist remarks about minority Malays on the net.

 

The blogger booklet can be downloaded from the Reporters Without

Borders website in English, French, Chinese, Arabic and Persian.

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/technology/4271062.stm

 

Published: 2005/09/22 11:05:31 GMT

 

© BBC MMV