Reviewing Fauxtography: A blog-driven challenge to mass media power without the promises of networked publicity

Authors

  • Nikki B Usher University of Southern California

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v13i12.2158

Keywords:

user-generated content, participatory media, blogging

Abstract

During the Israel-Hezbollah War of 2006, bloggers caught Reuters publishing doctored images from Lebanon. Known by bloggers as Fauxtography, the scandal provides an important site to analyze the ability of blogs to challenge mainstream media. One blog in particular was almost single-handedly responsible for unearthing and for publicizing the scandal—Little Green Footballs. This paper uses the scandal as a case study to assess how Little Green Footballs was able to mount a challenge to mainstream media. Despite theorizing to the contrary about the collective promise of networked publics, Fauxtography reveals that one of the biggest challenges of late to mainstream media came from the activities of a single blogger.

Author Biography

Nikki B Usher, University of Southern California

doctoral student at the Annenberg School for Communication

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Published

2008-11-29

How to Cite

Usher, N. B. (2008). Reviewing Fauxtography: A blog-driven challenge to mass media power without the promises of networked publicity. First Monday, 13(12). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v13i12.2158