In CyberChaikhana-related news, there are some promising developments on the horizon; for now, however, I must be hush hush about them.

I’m pleased to report that my lecture, “Log on, tune in, blog out: citizen-journalism, New Media, and subversive activity,” presented at Saint Joseph’s University, was well-received.

The lecture is a general survey of the darker side of Web 2.0-enabled New Media.  In particular, I explore some of its uses by subversive and revolutionary groups on the fringes of contemporary global society.  My case studies:

• the French National Front on Second Life;
• the Stormfront White Nationalist Community;
• the global anticapitalism movement (specifically, the IndyMedia Network);
• radical Islamism (specifically, AqsaTube);
• and the Second Life Liberation Army.

I lightly get into some of the theoretical issues, in particular the nature of New Media and today’s internet, and the role culture plays in determining the extent to which a subversive or revolutionary organization goes “high tech.”

The lecture is decidedly “low tech,” intended for non-specialists and all-around end-users.  However, it may also be of value to those with technical or journalistic backgrounds who may not be aware of the various fringe subcultures forming around the new technology.

I’ve made it available for download in four parts; just click on the link above.  I invite everyone to make use of it and pass it around!