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Originally Posted by BertMoore
Perhaps the question that should be asked first is, "How much influence should bloggers have?"
[snip]
At least with print and broadcast media, the commentator can be held somewhat accountable by advertisers and public opinion. What controls are there on bloggers?
The Internet allows us to disseminate false information at the speed of light. It doesn't make it any more true, it just makes it false faster.
Should bloggers (or any commentator) command the attention of major corporations or the government? Individually, no (there are just too many of them). Collectively, they can provide a finger on the pulse of what the public is being told (right or wrong). Corporations and government agencies should respond to bloggers (as well as incorrect traditional media reports) on their own sites.
If some bloggers feel slighted because they're not "special" enough to get a personal response from everyone they criticize, maybe it's time they realized that they're just not as special as they'd like to believe.
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Nice points Bert, some thoughts. The whole
should issue is not relevant, there is no-one to enforce our influence anyway so unless we can attract enough attention and agreement, the influence will not exist, and if we can attract enough, the influence will be undeniable, its always been like that, the net doesn't change it.
The idea of an accountable media is very thin. Its increasing failures to explain or investigate or even question the statements of the powers that be are a serious danger to our civil society, as someone who spent 25 years inside the broadcast media, I know how that stuff works and right now, it isn't.
The speed of false information has always been stunning, Shakespeare noted that a lie could make its way round the world faster than truth could get its boots on. The politicians and professional liars like advertising agencies have relied on this for a long time. The difference with blogs is that they CAN fact check the lies faster than before. That it still doesn't make a huge difference is a sign of the blogosphere's limited influence right now. Will it be ever thus? Who knows, watch this space.
As for slighted bloggers, exactly, they should get a life.
However, as you say it is a valid point that blogs, wikis, online communities offer an excellent opportunity, along with a decent search engine, to keep an eye on what is being said about you. Most of it is noise, but hidden in that noise is sometimes a rocket heading your way, and the transition can be very fast. Just ask trent Lott.