Lately in Sweden, blogs have been debated heavily in the mass-media. A couple month ago Swedish media reported one of the biggest swedish blogs was terminated. The author said he didn’t like what he had become. His “blog”character had become “monster” and wrote things he didn’t intended. Like the blog took hold of him? Well the blog was a fucking gossip piece of shit so it wasn’t any loss to talk about.
Interesting enough, after this he is viewed as somewhat of a blog-genius in Sweden. For what reason I can’t comprehend. He had many readers, wrote nothing of value, the blog was published at one of the biggest Swedish sites and newspapers (if you want to call Aftonbladet a newspaper that is…). Still, he couldn’t control him self or the blog, so he had to kill it. How the fuck does that make him a blog-genius!?
He and his brother recently started a blog on another Swedish newssite and it attracted many readers, just because of their names and fame from the last blog. Now, history have repeated itself. News today tell that the blog is terminated cause the brothers have done it again. Simply put, they bad-talk other people! I agree with the editor that he have to protect his newspaper. The author of the two blogs may have created buzz surrounding him and PR, but he’s destroying the reputations for the blog medium.
Other news surrounding blogs in Sweden is the rise of young girls bloging about fashion. Especially one authors have received much attention for her blog where she writes about fashion, politics and her self. She’s also portrayed as a PR-genius, simply because she attracts many readers, mostly young girls. News have reported that she apparently make millions (sek) in “sneak”-advertisement. The big compaines know how influencing huge blogs can be, and when classical advertisement is expensive and hard do penetrate the media noise, they see the potential to reach the young audience. Ether she get money or send her products to mention them on her blog. This isn’t anything new, but in my opinion its dispecable. Its degrading the blog medium and raise the question concerning the border of editorial and sponsored (bought) text.
The big companies have problem to reach the young audience and are willing to do whatever it takes apparently… I think it’s ashamed how they exploit every new medium or trend to reach me and my younger fellow beings. But thankfully the bought “sneak” advertisement in blogs is now being revised for illegal marketing. To market products, without declaring for the reader that the text is “paid” for.
This pleases me, cause I’m very much against big companies and “evil” marketing people exploiting the blog medium. One of the main things with blogs it its simplicity for regular people to make a voice for them self and connect with others. Blog is basically the tool, the technology behind. Its then a how people decide to use it that bothers me sometimes. I use it to store many of my thoughts and to promote myself and my knowledge.
Another thing that anger me with the young fashion blogger, is her influence over other young girls. Her audience is mostly teenage girls, who many look up to her and what she says and stand for. I don’t believe she fully understand what impact her post can have on unsecured girls. She’s from the higher end of the Swedish society, and she create a picture of how she is and many girls probably want to be like her. If she then make statements like: “When I grow old I can always operate myself” or “This new bag is a must” (and i cost to much for a regular family, that send the wrong signals. As a “role”model or trendsetter if you want, she should have a responsibility. I’m worried what kind of image of society she and the other blog idiot creates when so many follow and read the shit they put out! And the blog medium is so much more than fucking gossip, pie throwing and expensive fashion…
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