Here at BlogBurst, we focus a lot on the differences between traditional mainstream media and bloggers. We also focus on how to unite them for the benefit of both parties. We don’t think about government censorship - or accusations thereof, but according to a story by AP today - and the buzz in the blogosphere- Kentucky state rep. Kathy Stein (D-Lexington) is introducing legislation to halt efforts by the state’s Governor Ernie Fletcher to selectively block access to blogs and certain web sites.
Gov. Fletcher’s attempts to limit free access to certain blogs comes on the heels of his indictment for corruption, blogged about by Kentucky political blogger Mark Nickolas of bluegrassreport.org.
State employees were unable to access the blog after Nickolas’s posts on the indictment. Coincidence? Mark doesn’t think so. He is suing for his right to freedom of speech.
Looking on the brite side, the governor’s alleged actions demonstrate how influential blogs have become in mainstream society. And we’re just getting started…
Reminds me of a recent story here in Italy. A fellow blogger, Roberto Mancini, was convicted of defamation in May, in northern Italy and fined $16,900. Complaints were made against him because of the content of his blog, which includes local news that is put sometimes in a sarcastic and crude way. Complaints where also made saying that he was held responsible for comments posted by readers.
There were some messages were posted on Mancini’s blog, making very obvious not so nice references to the people that filed the complaint against Mancini. So maybe this was their way of “revenge†of whoever posted the comments. Of course there is no proof of WHO posted these messages.
Blogging is supposed to be about expressing one’s opinion online, also as an online journal. Whatever happened to free speech? What’s next, the government trying to tell people what to think or do?
The thought that a gov’t official would suggest to selectively block access to blogs is ludicrous. One of our basic building blocks as an open society is freedom of speech and blogging is become our mainstream method of being heard. This Governor Fletcher character will get shut-down, no doubt about it.