Bloggers, the new breed of agents for freedom of expression convene recently at the iBlog2: Blogging Conference on 18 April 2006 at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. Bloggers from all over the country shared experiences and expertise on blogging, discussed the legal aspects of online publishing, and highlighted the status of freedom of expression and online communications. iBLog2 was also an opportunity for many of the countrys bloggers to meet face-to-face instead of conducting exchanges online. Blogging is an Internet phenomenon that has found many enthusiasts around the world. A blog (short for weblog) is a regular online journal by a blogger. Some blogs draw a following of loyal readers, many of whom interact with the blogger by posting comments on blog entries. Bloggers make the most of the medium for independent punditry, providing political or personal commentaries that are often fresh and uncompromising.
Rebecca Mackinnon , a former journalist for CNN and now a research fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University, spoke of the need for bridging the worlds bloggers, many of whom do not write in English. She said that a lot of independent observations come for bloggers in countries where free expression is curtailed, and that these blogs enrich rather than threaten the media environment. However, discerning the integrity and credibility of blog are also equally important in determining a bloggers biases.
Mackinnon also introduced GlobalVoices <http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/>, a website that aggregates interesting blogs from around the world. A project of the Berkman Center, GlobalVoices promotes the writings of bridge bloggers who take the perspectives in the blogospheres of their own country or culture, and try to bridge linguistic and cultural barriers to make their regional content available to other online audiences.
Another interesting presentation at iBlog2 discussed how blogs encourage citizen-to-government dialogues. Davao City Councilor Peter Lavia reported how his blog <http://www.funchain.com/~peterlavina> has elicited discussions from Davaoeos in the country, and abroad, about the citys current policies. As a politician in a major city in southern Philippines, Lavia perceives his blog as presenting a more transparent face of governance to citizens.
Reports from iBlog2 can be read on the blog of Jove Francisco <http://jovefrancisco.blogspot.com> or heard and downloaded as mp3 files from the website of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation <http://www.fnf.org.ph/podcast>
BLOGGERS CONVENE FOR FREE EXPRESSION AND ONLINE PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE
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Isis Resource Center holds one of the largest feminist collections of materials in the Global South. With 40 years of publication experience, Isis holds a vast collection.