Reporters without Borders recently released the Handbook for bloggers and cyber-dissidents, which was partially funded by the French government. While it contains information on how to blog anonymously and how to circumvent censorship, it contains a great primer for what a blog is and instructions on how to blog. It’s not just for the politically oppressed, this handbook should be read by everybody. The 46 page handbook is filled with information on RSS, trackbacks, wikis, and real world examples of blogs in action.

The Introduction:

Blogs get people excited. Or else they disturb and worry them. Some people distrust them. Others see them as the vanguard of a new information revolution. Because they allow and encourage ordinary people to speak up, they’re tremendous tools of freedom of expression.
Bloggers are often the only real journalists in countries where the mainstream media is censored or under pressure. Only they provide independent news, at the risk of displeasing the government and sometimes courting arrest.
Reporters Without Borders has produced this handbook to help them, with handy tips and technical advice on how to to remain anonymous and to get round censorship, by choosing the most suitable method for each situation. It also explains how to set up and make the most of a blog, to publicise it (getting it picked up efficiently by search-engines) and to establish its credibility through observing basic ethical and journalistic principles.

Other Information:
Harvard’s Global Voices blog has a great post about the Handbook for bloggers and cyber-dissidents. The blog itself is a good read as well. You can also check out the Global Voices podcast.

Don’t forget that the EFF has already released their How to Blog Safely back in April 2005.

In case you are unable to get to RSF.org for any reason I made the handbook available to download.