In authoritarian-ruled Arab societies, new media, exemplified by the Internet, are
perceived as the harbinger of democracy. In interviews conducted in Egypt in 2009,
I asked bloggers, human rights activists and journalists about their motivations for
blogging, the nature of the relationship between blogging and traditional media practitioners
and the challenges that hinder the efficacy of blogging as a social and political
force. It seems clear that Egyptian blogs have been used to criticize the political
order and mobilize public opinion against the regime. Moreover, the Internet and
blogs are helping to transform traditional journalism, making it less susceptible to
conservativism and state manipulation, enhancing political activism and expanding
the reach of the public sphere.