There's been plenty of hype about the "netroots," and online activism on both the right and left. But most of it's been celebratory, not practical. This is a practical, start to finish guide to promoting any cause and participating in any social movement on the social Web. Long-time activist and online community expert Tom Head covers everything you need to know about e-activism, including: " Using the Web to find activism jobs and volunteer opportunities " Using Google Alerts, RSS feeds, and other tools to stay informed " Building cause-related web sites - even if you have practically no money or web experience " Engaging effectively on social networking sites " Promoting causes, events, or organizations without spamming " Getting more attention and links for a cause " Keeping allies informed via email, blogs, text messaging, and Twitter " Organizing local activists using global media, and using online activism to support on-the-ground work " Blogging to promote a cause: when it works, and when it's not worth it " Avoiding the common mistakes e-activists make

Author Biography

Tom Head is author or coauthor of 24 nonfiction books on a wide range of topics, including Civil Liberties: A Beginner's Guide (Oneworld, 2009) and Get Your IT Degree and Get Ahead (Osborne/McGraw-Hill, 2000). He covers civil liberties for About.com, a division of The New York Times Company with 34 million unique visitors per month, and also blogs on civil liberties issues in his home state of Mississippi via the Mississippi Human Rights Report.He also serves as an elected trustee for the Mississippi ACLU, as VP/policy of the Mississippi chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW), as communications director for Unity Mississippi, on the steering committee of the Jackson,Mississippi, chapter of Parents, Friends, and Families of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), and in various other volunteer capacities.He has operated online communities since 1989. An internationally recognized expert on distance education (and coauthor of four books on the subject),Tom is currently finishing up his Ph.D. in the history of ideas at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia, through an off-campus study program.