The typical blog doesn’t have much of an impact on society. However, blogs have been the catalyst for exposing fraud or other shenanigans.
For example, on September 8, 2004, the TV program 60 Minutes II aired a segment which revealed documents that were critical of then-President George W. Bush’s time as a pilot in the Texas Air National Guard. Shortly afterwards, the blogs Little Green Footballs and Power Line presented the public with evidence that the documents were fakes. In a blog post titled “Bush Guard Documents: Forged”, Charles Johnson of Little Green Footballs writes, “I opened Microsoft Word, set the font to Microsoft’s Times New Roman, tabbed over to the default tab stop to enter the date '18 August 1973,' then typed the rest of the document purportedly from the personal records of the late Lieutenant Colonel Jerry B. Killian. And my Microsoft Word version, typed in 2004, is an exact match for the documents trumpeted by CBS News as ‘authentic.’”iii
The result was the Rathergate Scandal that ended the journalism career of Dan Rather. Howard Kurtz writes, “It was like throwing a match on kerosene-soaked wood. The ensuing blaze ripped through the media establishment as previously obscure bloggers managed to put the network of Murrow and Cronkite firmly on the defensive.”iv
A more-recent example of a blog having a significant social impact is a story published by the New York Times and noted by Real Clear Life contributor Will Levith. States Levith, “A blogger who launched the website NM Fishbowl has shaken one university’s athletics department to its core. And there have been massive repercussions.”v
A blog’s social impact isn’t always negative for someone, and a small blog can prompt readers to take actions in response to a blog post. For example, blogger Annabel Candy writes, “The power of blogging influence is scary. I've personally met people who've booked a holiday in Japan or even moved to Australia based on my recommendation. Shops have sold out of dresses after recommendations by Nikki Parkinson on her fashion and beauty blog Styling You.”vi
A blog’s potential impact on purchase decisions has been noted by marketers. Lisa Lacy writes, “A new study on blog influence found many consumers rely on blogs for unbiased opinions and expertise when considering purchases, making blogs an influential platform for marketers trying to reach consumers with money to spend.”vii
So, a blog post can have a social influence, although plenty of bloggers don’t aim for such when writing a blog post. I myself wouldn’t want to be responsible for any social influence via my blog posts. Surely, with me being kin to Alf and with Dogbert living inside my head, that influence would simply cause trouble.
What? You don’t want me calling you Shirley? Who do you think you are, Leslie Nielsen?