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Brussels admits defeat in EU blog wars Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 03:06 PM GMT [General] A secret European Commission report has come out strongly against the "anti-establishment activity" of blogging as part of an analysis of the internet and "its implications for public opinion about the EU". Commission report: blogging is 'an anti-establishment activity' Most of the document, which analyses the changing Irish media scene after that referendum defeat,  focuses on the traditional Brussels bogeyman of the British Eurosceptic dead-tree press (not very anti-establishment as a rule). It also mourns the "shift away from the state news radio and TV stations" - apparently "this means the quality of debate has suffered". But the strongest language and darkest fears are reserved for the realm of the internet with its message boards, blogs and independence. This realm is all the more dangerous in EU eyes, as we have seen before, because it communicates to many people, it is comparatively unregulated, it is comparatively independent of state or private media monopoly, and it is easy for people to do themselves. "Blogging is also seen as an anti-establishment activity. Few Yes campaigners came out with forceful counter arguments or were inspired to do so. Because of the many different sources of No campaigners on the internet, classic rebuttals is [sic] made impossible," says the report - which makes no recommendations. "Blog activity remains overwhelmingly negative." The report in full can be read here - leaked to the Irish Times today. The web, you see, is not yet dominated by the conformist consensus that permeates the traditional media and political establishment. This is why the EU does badly there and also why it does badly in popular votes where the demographic of younger, often working class, voters untouched by old politics is becoming more important. "Significantly technology which made professional, content rich communication has now been put in the hands of the average citizen allowing podcasting, audio streaming and creative viral communications," the report laments. "The internet has come of age as a forum for debate and a means of conveying information in Ireland. Blogging and bulletin boards have been used by many, some of whom are opinion formers, to relay their thoughts. Both sides of the Lisbon debate actively the web [sic] however it was dominated by the No side." "The fragmented No campaign has had a very high internet presence on the Internet, achieving high rankings on Google and other search engines. The internet has allowed direct citizen-publisher interaction and works widely outside the standard news-cycle so has been the seeding source for many opinion formers." "A number of viral emails, videos, songs etc. were created by the No campaign which were creative, often humorous, and had a lot of "cut through". They made for simple, well-defined, entertaining points that registered well with younger demographs. Websites such as Youtube.com have allowed the transmission of audiovisual content at a very low cost." The writing is on the wall - or rather the web - and there is nothing the EU can do about it. The internet remains a democratic medium - for now and the foreseeable future. "The official nature of the communication flow has made it very difficult to connect with younger, internet-savvy audiences," sob the Commission officials writing the report. "Apart from official websites, the internet has largely been a space left to anti-European feeling. Given the ability to reach an audience at a much lower cost, and given the simplicity of the No campaign messages, it has proven to be easily malleable during the campaign and pre-campaign period." The EU blog wars have begun. The Commission and Brussels institutions know it. The next battle between them and us, establishment and anti-establishment, official and unofficial is only a matter of time. What are they going to do about it? Is the EU ready? Are you ready? Tags: blogs , EU Referendum , European Commission , European Elections ,Irish referendum EU Treaty [ 18 comments ]