Ch. 1 Are blogs of value to the public? -- Yes : blogs serve the public in ways conventional media do not -- Blogs give citizens a platform / Richard A. Posner -- Blogs keep watch over the mainstream media / Daniel W. Drezner and Henry Farrell -- Blogs provide firsthand information about the war in Iraq / Nikki Schwab -- No : blogs offer nothing important to the public at large -- Amateur journalists' blogs spread misinformation / Andrew Keen -- Most blogs reach only small, specialized audiences / Nicholas Lemann -- Blogging results in instant obsolescence / Trevor Butterworth -- Ch. 2 Do blogs have significant impact on American politics? -- Yes : blogs have become indispensable to political campaigns -- Blogging is a major development in the future of politics / Biz Stone -- Blogs are a critical part of political commentary / Carla Marinucci -- The future will not be unblogged / David D. Perlmutter -- No : blogs do not affect the outcome of elections -- Blogs lack the depth of print journalism / George Packer -- Specific blogs reach only small segments of the population / Byron York -- and Ch. 3 How are blogs affecting American culture? -- Overview : the impact of blogging / Robbie Allen -- Blogging significantly influences mainstream journalism / Rebecca MacKinnon -- Blogging has replaced the common culture with subcultures / Terry Teachout -- Blogs provide responses to community issues / Craig Colgan -- Blogs can impact grassroots politics / Lakshmi Chaudhry -- Amateur detectives use blogs to investigate crime / Laura Bauer -- Ch. 4 What ethical and legal issues are raised by blogs? -- Sexual threats stifle some female bloggers / Ellen Nakashima -- Blogging may lead to a change in libel laws / Laura Parker -- Free speech in blogs may be restricted by employers / Jonathan A. Segal -- Students have the right to blog / Electronic Frontier Foundation -- Blogs can be used as evidence in court cases / Chris W. McCarty -- There should be rules when bloggers are paid for endorsements / J.D. Lasica.
