Title: Introducing the vox populi of the wired world – how 'blogs' are evolving as dynamic web-based social networks

Authors: Akhil Prasad, Aditi Agarwala

Addresses: Gujarat National Law University, E-4, GIDC, Electronics Estate, Gandhinagar, Gujarat – 382 028, India. ' Gujarat National Law University, E-4, GIDC, Electronics Estate, Gandhinagar, Gujarat – 382 028, India

Abstract: With the advent of blogs, virtual communities are witnessing new horizons in social networking and democratic participation. This form of social media is attracting netizens from all quarters of the dot com stratosphere. For personal or professional purposes, an increasing number of people are subscribing to this social technology. This paper examines the cultural landscape of blogs and discusses the motives and the motivation behind the varying blog user behaviour. It further evaluates the growing influence of blogs and how corporates and politicians are utilising the media to advance their interests. Legal issues involved in blogging such as online libel, defamation, employment termination (doocing) are dealt with reference to case laws and reported events. It further throws light on what makes a blog successful in the marketplace of blogs – the blogosphere. In a nutshell, the paper evaluates the overall potential of blogs to evolve as highly dynamic web-based networks.

Keywords: blogs; weblogs; doocing; social networking; free speech; blog user behaviour; virtual communities; online communities; web-based communities; online defamation; online libel; online employment termination; case law.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPL.2009.024484

International Journal of Private Law, 2009 Vol.2 No.4, pp.459 - 472

Published online: 06 Apr 2009 *

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