Andrea Weckerle

Here are two important blogging resources for anyone opposed to censorship and supportive of free speech … and, most importantly, for any blogger working within a politically repressive environment.

• Blog Safer: The Anoniblogging Wiki created by Spirit of America (via The Blog Herald). Blog Safer currently contains guides for blogging in Saudi Arabia (in Arabic), Iran (in Persian), China (in Chinese), Malaysia (in English) and Zimbabwe (in English). The wiki also provides an indispensable resources list here.
• Downloadable Handbook for bloggers and cyber-dissidents by Reporters Without Borders.

On a related note, there is currently much talk about credibility, accountability and accuracy within the blogosphere. I’ve often thought that limiting the anonymity of bloggers or those who comment on blog posts is one way of increasing accountability. Spirit of America has challenged my view on this (see entire argument on Anonymous Blogging Apologia):

"Most of the bloggers who have been arrested in the past two years were easy to find because they followed the advice of some purist critics of anonymous blogging: They used their real names and details of their lives. Considering the likelihood that the harrassment of bloggers will continue, we believe anonymous blogging should remain a valid option and comprehensive instructions on how to do so should be available."