In today’s modern society, people across the globe use web-blogging as a form of communication to express themselves. Blogging seems to be a digital and modern version of those handwritten diaries. In the past, when there was no internet , people can only express their thoughts by writing down on their diaries or sent letters to convey or express their emotions to their recipient. Things change tremendously over the past decades. With modern technology such as the I-Phones, IPad, Blackberry –bloggers are just a click away to blast their messages online. Bloggers write basically anything they feel worth expressing and sharing with other. McLeay (2006) states that blogging gives people a chance to express themselves, be their own editors and from this people adopt a sense of academic power as they are providing information.
Diaries can be locked away from prying eyes but not blogs . They are free-for- all to see. I can see the benefical and downside of it. One recent example is the role of the social media & its impact on the Singapore General Election 2011. The social media and internet has bring people from all walks of life and background to be socially connected . With Facebook and Twitter, ones feed was constantly flooded with varying opinions, ranging on which candidate was not worthy to where the hottest battle was shapping. Blogs creates broader discussions with people you don't even know. This led to strangers having heated debates , rebutting comments contrary to their political beliefs, an even going as far as blocking users who disagreed with them. News was also spreading like wild fires about one of the general election candidate whose past was dug up, leading to that unfortunate picture of her posing with Kate Spade bag. This has caused the citizens to question on the candidates caliber and the perception of the people towards the People Action Party ( PAP).
