I'm excited to be speaking at reboot 7.0 on ''Social Tools for Research & Collaboration'', and will try and bring a global perspective into my talk.  Its in Copenhagen on June 10-11.  I see a lot of familiar faces on the participants list, and look forward to meeting you there!  

If anyone has any interesting thoughts I should look at in preparation, please do drop them in at the comments or email me.  Thanks.

3:34:08 PM    comment []  trackback []

The Times of India reports that the Government opens doors to bloggers. 

"NEW DELHI: If you are a serious blogger, the Indian government may just open its doors to you. India is in the process of framing rules for granting accreditation to Internet journalists and bloggers for the first time, taking a reality check on an evolving world of net writers who could shape opinion and who have already been granted access to official corridors in countries such as the US. "We are framing the rules for giving accreditation to dotcom journalists, including bloggers," Principle Information Officer Shakuntala Mahawal said."

 "We are looking at various models in other countries and studying rules broadly put in place by organisations like the UN, sports outfits and commonwealth countries," said a senior official of the information and broadcasting ministry.  "The idea is to sequester the genuine from the fraud and acknowledge those who really want to make a difference. They will be given facilities and better access through accreditation."  Online posts are widely read and according to surveys some 44 per cent of America's young people read blogs. Most readers look at blogs for news, perspective and honesty that they cannot perhaps find in standard news media. According to Indian officials, blogs are becoming a political statement in many other countries - such as in the US and British elections - and India needs to prepare for such a situation. "

This is so interesting.  Am not sure what to think of it though.  Found this graphic via Return of the Warblog - thought it was funny ...

On the one hand i am happy that bloggers are being taken seriously, on the other, many questions and some fear running through my mind ....

Do bloggers want this accredition by the government?  Do they need it?  What benefits? At what cost?  Will we lose our freedom of speech?  Is this license or protection or regulation of sorts?  Will they become mouthpieces for the Government?  Will it create competition among Indian Bloggers, in a mad rush for press passes, where camaraderie and collaboration exists today?

What do you feel?

2:08:04 AM    comment []  trackback []