Topics

Anonymous Blogging

AnonBlog: A Technical Guide to Anonymous Blogging http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/projects/guide/ Ethan Zuckerman discusses a variety of software tools and online services available to the blogger who wants to blog anonymously and to stay anonymous. A useful technical counterpart to EFF's guide to anonymous blogging.

CyberSLAPP.org http://www.cyberslapp.org/intro.cfm CyberSLAPP.org was founded to oppose the practice of filing a meritless lawsuit in order to use subpoenas to pierce a critic's anonymity. A joint project of several civil liberties groups (including EFF), CyberSLAPP.org features a "best practices" document for ISPs whose subscribers face subpoena and a variety of legal resources for individuals whose right to anonymous speech is under attack.

Information Resources

Podcasting Legal Guide http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Welcome_To_The_Podcasting_Legal_Guide A legal guide for podcasters.

Chilling Effects Clearinghouse http://www.chillingeffects.org The Chilling Effects Clearinghouse collects and publishes cease-and-desist letters sent to web page operators, with commentary from EFF and a consortium of law school clinics. It is a valuable source of information on cease-and-desist letters and on the state of free speech online

Media Law Resource Center http://www.medialaw.org The MLRC is an information clearinghouse dedicated to First Amendment issues, particularly libel and privacy issues.

MLRC's List of Legal Cases Against Bloggers Libel And Related Lawsuits Against Bloggers

Stanford University's Fair Use Site http://fairuse.stanford.edu/index.html Stanford's Fair Use site is a clearinghouse for information on copyright and fair use, featuring primary source materials, articles discussing fair use issues, and commentary and analysis on current issues.

International

Guìa Legal del Blogger http://www.derechosdigitales.org/glb A Chilean Legal Guide for bloggers

Committee to Protect Bloggers http://committeetoprotectbloggers.civiblog.org The CPB distributes information about bloggers around the world who have been imprisoned or otherwise pressured by state authority, and organizes activismC on those bloggers' behalf.

Reporters Without Borders http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=20

Reporters Without Borders works to protect journalists worldwide from violence, arrest, and oppression.

Dutch Legal Guide http://www.iusmentis.com/maatschappij/juridisch/bloggen/

California Anti-SLAPP Project http://www.casp.net The California Anti-SLAPP Project provides information and assistance to the targets of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation — lawsuits intended to silence criticism.

California First Amendment Coalition http://www.cfac.org The California First Amendment Coalition is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public interest organization dedicated to enhancing rights to freedom of speech and open government through educational programs, information services, and litigation. CFAC works to promote transparency in government. It provides legal advice and assistance on First Amendment and open government issues, and advocates improved public access to government.

The First Amendment Project http://www.thefirstamendment.org The First Amendment Project is a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to protecting and promoting freedom of information, expression, and petition. The First Amendment Project provides advice, information, and legal assistance to activists, journalists, and artists.

Reporter's Committee for Freedom of the Press http://www.rcfp.org The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is a voluntary, unincorporated association of reporters and editors that works to defend the First Amendment rights and freedom of information interests of the news media. The RCFP provides a wealth of information and publication with advice and legal assistance for journalists on free speech and free press issues.

Professional Associations

Media Bloggers Association http://mediabloggers.org/ The MBA is an association of bloggers who blog about news and the media. It exists to promote its members and their blogs, and to support the role of blogs as watchdogs for and supplements to the traditional media.

Online News Association http://www.journalists.org/ The Online News Association is an organization composed largely of professional online journalists. The association is dedicated to promoting editorial integrity, independence, excellence, and freedom of expression in digital news.

Society of Professional Journalists http://www.spj.org/ The Society of Professional Journalists is the nation's largest and most broad-based journalism organization. It seeks to defend free speech, uphold high journalistic standards, and support journalism education.

Student Blogging

FIRE's Guide to Free Speech on Campus http://www.thefire.org/index.php/article/5063.html FIRE's Guide to Free Speech on Campus provides advice and information for members of educational communities to fight restrictions placed on speech by school administrators.

Northern Illinois University's Guide for High School Journalists http://www.star.niu.edu/nina/highschool/quick.html This quick legal guide provides simple advice on libel, copyright, obscenity, and privacy for high school journalists.

Commercial Blogging

CMLP Guide to FTC Disclosure Requirements for Product Endorsements http://www.citmedialaw.org/legal-guide/publishing-product-or-service-endorsements CMLP explanation of FTC guidelines that require bloggers, Tweeters, Facebook users, and other online publishers to disclose "material connections" they have with companies whose products or services they endorse. The guidelines also say that bloggers may be held liable for making misleading or unsubstantiated claims about a product or service.

General Journalism

Associated Press Stylebook and Brief on Media Law http://www.apstylebook.com/ This subscription site is the online edition of the Associated Press Stylebook, the style guide used by most news outlets and many other publications. The Stylebook also includes a primer on legal issues relevant to the media.

Journalist's Codes of Ethics http://www.asne.org/index.cfm?id=387 This page collects various ethical codes for journalists in effect for various media outlets and professional associations.

Massachusetts Bar Association's Journalist's Handbook http://www.massbar.org/publications/journalists_handbook/ This resource, published by the Massachusetts Bar Association, is a summary of legal concepts and terminology intended to help journalists better understand legal issues on which they report.

Online Journalism Review http://www.ojr.org/ The OJR is a web-based journal devoted to online journalism produced by USC's Annenberg School of Communications. In addition to articles on journalism, the site includes tutorials for beginning journalists on subjects like journalistic ethics and effective reporting.

Poynter's on Citizen Journalism http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=83126 This article discusses ways that traditional media outlets can use blogs and similar tools to improve their own offerings.

CyberJournalist.net http://www.cyberjournalist.net/ CyberJournalist.net focuses on how the Internet, convergence, and new technologies are transforming the media. The site includes tips on how to produce better online journalism, a Weblog Blog that tracks weblogs' impact on journalism and a list of journalists who blog and citizen media efforts.

Workplace Blogging (For Workers)

C|Net's Guide to Workplace Blogging http://news.com/FAQ+Blogging+on+the+job/2100-1030_3-5597010.html A brief FAQ on the professional repercussions of blogging, discussing the possible consequences of blogging at and about your workplace.

Legal Aid Society-Employment Law Center http://www.las-elc.org/ The LAS-ELC promotes the rights of low-income and minority workers through litigation, legislative advocacy, and providing advice and information to workers.

Nolo Press' Employee Rights Resources http://www.nolo.com/resource.cfm/catID/411DD971-9C17-47D8-880913B3AE9A2FFF/104/150/ This Nolo Press site contains many self-help resources for workers concerned about their rights.

Workplace Fairness http://www.workplacefairness.org/ Workplace Fairness works to defend employee rights by distributing information and supporting legal advocates of workers' rights.

National Whistleblower Center http://www.whistleblowers.org The NWC works to support and encourage individuals who come forward to reveal illegal or unethical activity by government or industry.

Workplace Blogging (For Employers)

Corporate Blogging: Seize the Opportunity, but Control the Risks http://www.howardrice.com/uploads/content/BloggingAlert0305.htm This article discusses the legal issues involved in blogging for companies considering setting up a company-sponsored blog.

Fredrik Wacka's Corporate Blogging site http://www.corporateblogging.info/ CorporateBlogging.info is a blog devoted to corporate blogging — blogs used by companies for internal or external communications.