完整標題應為：New media and internet activism: from the‘Battle of Seattle’ to blogging。我把他翻譯為「新媒體與網路行動主義：從西雅圖戰役到網誌」
出處：New Media & Society, Vol. 6, No. 1, 87-95 (2004)
作者是RICHARD KAHN與DOUGLAS KELLNER，前者是UCLA教育所的博士生，後者則是UCLA教育哲學的教授，主持了Blog Left這個以政治為主題的Blog(破報有更詳盡的介紹)。
文章主題是講網路科技對於社會與政治運動的協助與促進。我主要節錄一些文章中關於blog的評論。
However, new socially-interactive forms of internet media, such as web logs (blogs) and wikis, have become widely popular communication tools alongside the ultimate ‘killer application’ of email.
(先前提到在90年代前期，網際網路的興起主要應用在電子商務，其自由互聯的特性並沒有對社會產生助益。) 然而，網路媒體以新的社會互動型態出現，例如網誌與維基，已經緊追在電子郵件這個殺手應用之後，成為廣受歡迎的溝通工具。
The new internet subculture that has erupted around ‘blogging’ is particularly deserving of analysis here, as bloggers have demonstrated themselves as technoactivists favoring not only democratic self-expression and networking, but also global media critique and journalistic sociopolitical intervention.
新的網路次文化已經迸發出來，而網誌尤其是推手。本文分析證明了部落客除了是科技行動派，喜愛民主政治上的自我表達與連結，也有全球媒體的評論與社會政治的新聞工作者的加入。
Blogs are partly successful because they are relatively easy to create and maintain – even for non-technical web users. Combining the hypertext of webpages, the multi-user discussion of messageboards and listservs, and the mass syndication ability of XML and email, blogs are also popular because they represent the next evolution of web-based experience. If the world wide web was about forming a global network of interlocking, informative websites, blogs make the idea of a dynamic network of ongoing debate, dialogue and commentary central and so emphasize the interpretation and dissemination of alternative information to a heightened degree.
網誌部分的成功是因為其相對便利的建立與維護，即使是對於不懂技術的網頁使用者而言。網誌結合了超文本網頁、多使用者討論板、自動化郵件系統(啥？)與XML與郵件的訂閱功能。網誌受到歡迎也是因為他實現了下一波網頁體驗的革命。假如過去的全球資訊網大致形成了全球網路的連鎖、網站資訊。那網誌則以網路持續的爭論、對話與評論的觀點為中心，強調選擇性資訊的解釋與散播，到一種更高的境界(竊以為作者認為「網誌提供看事情的另外一個觀點，而這些觀點是由作者與網誌上不斷進行的討論所結合產生」)。
One result of bloggers’ fascination with networks of links has been the subcultural phenomenon known as ‘Google Bombing’. Documented in early 2002, it was revealed that the popular search engine Google had a special affinity for blogs because of its tendency to favor highly-linked, recently updated web content in its site ranking system. With this in mind, bloggers began campaigns to get large numbers of fellow bloggers to post links to specific postings that were designed to include the desirable keywords that Google users might normally search. A successful Google Bomb, then, would rocket the initial blog that began the campaign up Google’s rankings to No. 1 for each and every one of those keywords – whether the blog itself had anything to do with them or not!
「Google轟炸」成為部落客中一種次文化現象。根據2002的文件披露：最受歡迎的搜尋引擎Google對於網誌有特殊的偏愛，因為其排名系統特別喜歡高度互聯，經常更新網頁內容的網站。而根據這點，部落客們開始在文章中放進特殊的關鍵字，讓Google使用者能夠正常的找到。一個成功的Google炸彈能讓新的網誌衝上該關鍵字搜尋排名的第一名。
In response to the need for completely anonymous and untraceable blogging(as in countries where freedom of speech is in doubt), open source software such as invisiblog (http://www.invisiblog.com) has been developed to protect online journalists’ identities. Political bloggers have demonstrated the ability to influence decision making, with the campaign the focus of attention upon the racist remarks made by then Speaker of the House Trent Lott, and the creation of a media frenzy over the dishonest reporting that was exposed recently at the New York Times.
為了對匿名與無法追蹤這些功能需求有所回應(尤其是在一些對言論自由仍有遲疑的國家)，開放原始碼的軟體如invisiblog已經被發展以保護線上新聞工作者的個人身分。政治部落客被證明有能力去影響人們作決定，從Trent Lott的種族歧視言論被部落客所盯上的事件導致其下台，到媒體的怒吼是超越紐約時報不實報導中可以發現(這裡不確定翻的對不對)。
However, the success of blogging should not be judged solely on whether it generates obvious political effects. As alluded earlier, bloggers are expanding the notion altogether of what the internet is and how it can be used. Increasingly, bloggers are not tied to their desktops, writing in virtual alienation from the world, but are posting pictures, text, audiom and video on the fly from PDA devices and cellphones. Large political events, such as the World Summit for Sustainable Development, the World Social Forum, and the G8 forums all now have wireless bloggers providing real time alternative coverage.
成功的網誌不應該只評斷其是否產生明顯的政治影響。如先前所說，部落客拓展了「網路是什麼」與「網路可以如何被使用」的觀念。越來越多的部落客不會僅被侷限在電腦前，寫下虛擬的、與世界疏離的文字。而會在飛機上以PDA或手機，用影像、文字、聲音或影片作紀錄。大的政治事件，像是世界永續發展高峰會，全球社會論壇與八大工業國領袖論壇，都有無線部落客提供即時且具有選擇性的新聞報導。
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讀完之後有什麼收穫呢？
- 我認識了墨西哥的反政府游擊隊EZLN，還有他們的網站。
- 原來有人在開發匿名Blog這種東西給寫部落格但怕被抓的人-invisiblog，對岸的同胞應該蠻需要的。
- 美國的政治性Blog相當活躍，尤其在這次大選中，常常發揮很重要的影響力。
- 了解什麼是西雅圖戰役。
最近迴響