watched with great interest an article last night on Newsnight which outlined how the Reuters agency inadvertently published a photo which had been doctored. The photo was of the Beirut skyline, and had been amended with darker clouds to add drama. In itself, this is indeed interesting, as it is an explicit example of how we, the public can be and are being manipulated. However, what interested me even more is how Reuters found out about this.

Apparently, the news agency was alerted to the fact that one of it’s images had been manipulated by bloggers. That is to say, a person keeping a blog had spotted the telltale signs of Photoshop manipulation and posted about it. Unfortunately, Newsnight did not say which blog posted this first, but what interests me is how internet weblogs are fast becoming a political force.

Many people noted the role bloggers played in the most recent American elections; it seems that blogging will soon hold as much political clout as televisions or newspaper, if it does not already do so. Moreover, it seems a very democratic media: absolutely anyone can keep a blog. Yes, you need a computer, a domain et ceterah, but these costs are minute when compared to the cost and effort involved in publishing, or broadcasting n television, where one is liable to be vetted by an editor.

Indeed, one can say anything on a blog. Never before has one had as much freedom to speak his views; nor has it ever been so likely that those views will be seen by others. If one does not like what a blogger says, either he registers his grievances in the comments section, where the anonymity of a pseudonym ensures he does not have to hold back, or he can stop reading. Thus the so-called blogverse is a perfect place for debate.

Even more interestingly, politicians and the people in the traditional media are taking notice of what bloggers say; indeed they participate themselves, with many members of parliament and journalists keeping blogs themselves. What, then, are we seeing here? Is political power dispersing itself via the internet? Power seems to be shifting to the proletariat, or at least those of the proletariat who have computers. Before the advent of blogging, the average Joe had little outlet for his views, save perhaps the occasional letter to the local paper; now, however, if something enrages him, he can easily air his views by ‘blogging it’.

One could argue that blogging is a placatory solution – something given to the masses to give him the illusion of more political power while being essentially harmless. Thus blogs may be seen as outlets for political frustrations but essentially amount to nothing: a blog entry can never replace a riot.

Yet last night’s Newsnight article shows this not to be the case; politicians and journalists are indeed taking notice of bloggers. Now, I seriously doubt any such people will read my blog; I think my readership consists of mostly friends and family. Nevertheless, TIIROAC aside, it seems the blogverse is becoming a force to be reckoned with, the proletariat did not seize the printing presses after all, but just built their own.