A blog (a blend of the term web log) is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time.Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary,descriptions of events,or other material such as graphics or video.Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order.Blog can also be used as a verb,meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.
Although not a must,most good quality blogs are interactive,allowing visitors to leave comments and even message each other via widgets on the blogs and it is this interactivity that distinguishes them from other static websites.
Many blogs provide commentary on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries; yet still others function more as online brand advertising of a particular individual or company.A typical blog combines text,images,and links to other blogs,Web pages,and other media related to its topic.The ability of readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs.Most blogs are primarily textual,although some focus on art (art blog),photographs (photoblog),videos (video blogging or vlogging),music (MP3 blog),and audio (podcasting).Microblogging is another type of blogging,featuring very short posts.
Blogging can result in a range of legal liabilities and other unforeseen consequences.
Defamation or liability:In January 2007,two prominent Malaysian political bloggers,Jeff Ooi and Ahiruddin Attan,were sued by pro-government newspaper,The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad,Kalimullah bin Masheerul Hassan,Hishamuddin bin Aun and Brenden John a/l John Pereira over an alleged defamation.The plaintiff was supported by the Malaysian government.Following the suit,the Malaysian government proposed to "register" all bloggers in Malaysia in order to better control parties against their interest.[50] This is the first such legal case against bloggers in the country.
Employment:Catherine Sanderson,a.k.a.Petite Anglaise,lost her job in Paris at a British accountancy firm because of blogging.Although given in the blog in a fairly anonymous manner,some of the descriptions of the firm and some of its people were less than flattering.Sanderson later won a compensation claim case against the British firm,however.On the other hand,Penelope Trunk wrote an upbeat article in the Boston Globe back in 2006,entitled "Blogs 'essential' to a good career".She was one of the first journalists to point out that a large portion of bloggers are professionals and that a well-written blog can help attract employers.
Political dangers:Blogging can sometimes have unforeseen consequences in politically sensitive areas.Blogs are much harder to control than broadcast or even print media.As a result,totalitarian and authoritarian regimes often seek to suppress blogs and/or to punish those who maintain them.In Singapore,two ethnic Chinese were imprisoned under the country’s anti-sedition law for posting anti-Muslim remarks in their blogs.
Personal safety:One consequence of blogging is the possibility of attacks or threats against the blogger,sometimes without apparent reason.Kathy Sierra,author of the innocuous blog "Creating Passionate Users",was the target of such vicious threats and misogynistic insults that she canceled her keynote speech at a technology conference in San Diego,fearing for her safety.While a blogger's anonymity is often tenuous,Internet trolls who would attack a blogger with threats or insults can be emboldened by anonymity.Sierra and supporters initiated an online discussion aimed at countering abusive online behavior and developed a blogger's code of conduct.
Responsible blogging:
1.Take responsibility not just for your own words,but for the comments you allow on your blog.
2.Label your tolerance level for abusive comments.
3.Consider eliminating anonymous comments.
3.Ignore the trolls.
4.Take the conversation offline,and talk directly,or find an intermediary who can do so.
5.If you know someone who is behaving badly,tell them so.
6.Don't say anything online that you wouldn't say in person.