In response to readers' questions concerning RSS Feeds, Social Networks, and the changing nature of the Web, HonestReporting is pleased to offer a short guide to the new technology we added to our site.

The RSS feed to our site is found at the bottom right hand corner of the screen on our homepage. It allows users to receive our feeds directly onto their computers.

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. It functions as a computer-age version of the old newspaper syndicates that sent articles to newspapers across the country. The only difference is that now, the articles arrive on your computer, allowing you to create a personalized newspaper.

• Simply click on the RSS-XML button and a window will appear inviting you to subscribe. Our updated feeds will then start appearing in your news aggregator - the orange RSS link on your Google Bar or My Yahoo, or a site such as Bloglines, which offers an easy and free service.

BEYOND RSS

But RSS is only the beginning.

HonestReporting is committed to building its presence on the Internet to ensure that Israel receives fair treatment in the New Media as well as traditional news outlets. To that end, we have added features on our communiques and the Backspin blog that make it easier for people to share our content and spread it across the web.

Readers have noticed a series of icons at the bottom of our communiques and Backspin posts with names such as Digg and Reddit. These sites are part of the new, interactive trend that puts readers like you in control of what appears on their websites. Some people call it Web 2.0. Others call it the Social Media Revolution. But everyone agrees, citizen participation is the heart of the new wave.

If you like what you see on Backspin and want others to see it, click one or all of the icons beneath the post to send the post to a space on those sites. (Note: You will be asked to register one time only for these sites.) Visitors to the site then vote for the stories they find most interesting. The stories with the most votes are featured on the front page of the site.

Getting to the front page ensures enormous exposure for the material. Millions of people visit Digg each month and share it with an even larger network of friends. According to the Wall Street Journal, sites like Digg, Reddit, and Del.icio.us are becoming the most efficient way to build buzz around an idea:

A new generation of hidden influencers is taking root online, fueled by a growing love affair among Web sites with letting users vote on their favorite submissions. These sites are the next wave in the social-networking craze.

In today's high-tech world, mainstream media means more than newspapers, magazines, and television. Increasingly, it means the growing number of social networks, blogs, and content communities online. Millions of people connect to their friends each day through networks such as Facebook and MySpace. Innovative sites like YouTube allow anyone to upload videos everyone can see.

The world of blogs has mushroomed to unprecedented levels. And most of them allow readers to respond to content in their comments sections. Some of the best discussions online are taking place in the comments sections of popular blogs. These vibrant communities are always open to new members.

But while the Internet allows people to express themselves as never before, it also provides opportunities to spread misinformation about Israel to an ever-larger audience. HonestReporting is committed to monitoring major Web 2.0 outlets the same way it monitors the traditional press, and to keeping you informed of dangerous trends as they begin to develop.

We encourage everyone to join the revolution. There has never been a better time to get involved.