Definition
Blogging is defined as content that is regularly updated and broadcast online despite the medium. Blogging began mainly as a text based journals that widely popular on sites such as LiveJournal, Blogger and WordPress. As more bandwidth capabilities have grown so have audio blogs, often in the form of podcasts; video blogs, often over YouTube.com or other video sharing sites; and even photo blogs, over sites such as Flickr. More people are often adding video, audio and photos to their regular blogs as well. LiveJournal is often the home of more personal blogs, while more professional ones have migrated to Blogger or WordPress. As long as a site is regularly updated with posts though it can be considered a blog. Some well-known blogs are run by teams of people who regularly update content, instead of just an individual.

Examples
LiveJournal, Blogger and WordPress

When to use
Blogs are intimate enough to have a high trust threshold, but can also have a large range of viewers. When people see regurlary updated content they grow to trust the author and are more likely to take the information seriously. Good blogs are almost like a conversation over e-mail or other correspondence. At the same time, the amount of people who can read a blog is only limited by server space. It is important to keep regularly updating though, otherwise people will stop regularly checking for new information.

Use Cases
There are several ways to use blogs to bring people together. These are three of the most common types of blogs and ways in which they are used.

• News Source:Many blogs come into being to fill in gaps where the media is underreporting an issue or cannot physically get there. Jotman, currently covers the situation in Burma, as well as long term issues there such as the jewel mining conditions in Burma. While it just won the 2007 Reporters without Borders best blog award, it is a blog dedicated to getting people involved with “global citizenship.”
• First Hand Accounts:Often a personal view of a human rights issue or war zone can be a more personal window into broader topics that an organization is trying to raise awareness of. A blog like this can be part of a larger site, or stand on its own. Healing Iraq is a blog by an Iraqi dentist trying to explain the problems facing Iraqis from a personal viewpoint, while also disseminating general information.
• Multiple Writers:Blogs like these often have more than one author and try to both disseminate information pertinent to a cause, while sparking debate. Feministing, covers feminist issues from different perspectives. It combines original reporting with a round-up of current issues. Having more than one regular contributor makes it easy to regularly update and spend important time answering comments.

Ratings
Cost = $, it’s free to start most blogs, but if you eventually want audio and video that will cost more. Also, some blogs hire designers and others eventually have to buy server space.
Start-Up Time = T, all you have to do is register
Maintenance time = TTTT- TTTTT, blogs must be regularly updated or people will stop going
Complexity for Creators: **
Complexity for Users: *
Broadband required for effective use?: N
Read Accessibility: 3 unless you lock a blog it is publicly available
Write Accessibility: 3 only creators, accept for commenters
Comments: high
Traffic: depends
Bling: 6.5
Blingability: 8.5

How To Use
It can take 5 minutes to set-up a basic account on LiveJournal, Blogger or WordPress. Keeping a blog going though requires a lot of time and energy.

Helpful/Interesting Links

• Everyone’s Guide to By-Passing Internet Censorship for Citizens Worldwide
• Anonymous Blogging Guide fromGlobal Voices Advocacy
• Reporters sans frontières - Handbook for bloggers and cyber-dissidents
• Global Voices Online » For Bloggers - Global Bloggers, let your voices be heard! Join the global conversation. Help people around the world find about about your blog, podcasts, and other online creations.