Saturday, July 09, 2005
Bloggers or Journalists?
Joi Ito points to a piece by Dennis Howlett, who asks a very pertinent question: Do U.S. immigration authorities require bloggers entering the U.S. to have a journalist visa? Howlett argues that bloggers may be considered journalists under U.S. immigration law.
Without getting into the freedom-of-speech angle to this, it is still a very interesting question and one that I have never considered before. Do any of you have an informed opinion on this? Come to think about it, India requires all journalists to have a journalist visa too. I wonder if the Indian authorities will take it upon themselves to harass some bloggers too, especially if some others are given accreditation.
A comprehensive analysis of what's going on can be found at Slate. Although written in 2004, the article shows that America is using its immigration policy to restrict entry by certain journalists. The rules are broad enough to cover bloggers. So while the blogosphere may be considered a great thing for freedom of expression, there is always the risk that high profile, non-US bloggers will be refused entry to the US. Especially if they make what US immigration officials consider anti-American comments on their sites. You can argue that blogging isn't journalism but a personal expression of opinion. If my experience is anything to go by, that won't cut any ice with immigration officials.
Without getting into the freedom-of-speech angle to this, it is still a very interesting question and one that I have never considered before. Do any of you have an informed opinion on this? Come to think about it, India requires all journalists to have a journalist visa too. I wonder if the Indian authorities will take it upon themselves to harass some bloggers too, especially if some others are given accreditation.
