Blogs & Reporters Without Borders

On September 22, 2005 the international organization, Reporters Without Borders, produced the Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber-Dissidents. As documented on their website, the purpose of the handbook is to enable and empower citizens around the world to effectively use the Internet, and more specifically blogs, to communicate and express ideas without fear of consequence. As such, the handbook defines blogs, discusses the ethics associated with blogs and provides detailed information regarding their creation and maintenance. The handbook further discusses the protection of individual email and methods to avoid censorship. Lastly, the Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber-Dissidents documents personal accounts, experiences, and challenges of bloggers in countries such as Germany, Bahrain, the United States, Hong Kong, Iran and Nepal.
I believe that Reporters Without Borders deserves much credit for their willingness to create a handbook that encourages individuals to express ideas and opinions that may or may not be of the contrary to particular governments around the world. It is important to emphasize that in certain countries blogging may be the only medium that credible and accurate news may be shared with the rest of the world. Moreover, blogging also permits individuals in isolated countries to participate in a common dialogue with the worldwide community. As a future librarian I believe that the Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber-Dissidents can serve as a platform from which librarians around the world are able to participate in the free flow of information. It is my hope that while political borders may prohibit open dialogue, blogging through the Internet may break down barriers and encourage more shared information.