Tools for Online Activism

January 10th, 2009 By: Michael van der Galien | Tags:
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One of my favorite new blogs, Crimson Politics, published a handy article (page actually) called “conservative tools” in order to help conservatives promote articles at blogs and media websites and to generally organize. Since the tools mentioned are not merely handy for conservatives but for everyone else as well, the tips warrant repetition here:

1. Before you get started, download the latest version of Mozilla Firefox (or Flock if you’re a social networker and / or blogger). Not only is Mozilla handy because it allows you to be more productive, it is also a better browser than Internet Explorer: it is safer, faster and there are more plugins available which you can use for a wide range of issues.

2. Next, you go to StumbleUpon, register at the website and install the toolbar into your Mozilla browser. When you sign in for the first click “remember me.” Now you can review and submit any article you enjoyed reading; it takes a few seconds; just click the thumbs up button in your Firefox toolbar, write a short review (one or two sentences) and press “submit.” Stumbling is great because it could give your favorite blogger, journalist, website, etc. hundreds, potentially even thousands, more hits; only a few stumbles are enough for a boost.

3. The same goes for Digg.com. Register and start digging.

4. Get yourself a gmail account (google mail) and create and go to iGoogle. Next, go to (conservative or other) websites you enjoy reading, click on the “RSS feed” option and select “subscribe” (through Google). You know when your favorite sites are updated because iGoogle shows it – if you are not too attached to your old one – consider making iGoogle your homepage.

5. If you would rather open a ‘normal’ website as your homepage, simply go to your favorite website and make it your homepage. You do this in Firefox by going to “Tools,” selecting the main tab and then setting your favorite website as “homepage.” This is a great tool if there is one website you enjoy visiting more than every or most others; the website gets hits whenever you start up Internet.

6. Actively comment at websites, blogs; share your views. Go to forums such as this one, and participate. 

That’s it; start browsing.

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