Danny Glover

When Bill Clinton became the youngest elected president since John F. Kennedy, he moved into a White House technologically fit for JFK's generation. The White House is a different place today, and so is the nation.

In George W. Bush, Internet leaders have the hands-off president they want. Will the real new economy follow suit?

Does the Americans with Disabilities Act belong in web design? The issue goes beyond alt-text tags for images to include sound files, timed responses on dynamic pages, small targets on image maps and more.

Much of the money that lawmakers earmark for their states and districts these days goes toward technology-related projects. National Journal's Technology Daily found nearly $1 billion for such projects in spending bills and conference reports.

If the digital zealots of the world are right, Oct. 1, 2000, marked the beginning of a revolution. That is the day the federal E-SIGN Act took effect, paving the way for convenient and cost-efficient e-signatures for businesses and consumers.

Dozens of police agencies around the country are moving into the social media space. But social media can be a two-edged digital sword for law enforcement.

As police departments get more social online, they face a growing concern: how to balance the community benefits of public interaction with the risks of creating open, public forums on Facebook and other channels.

Journalists are using Twitter to cover high-profile trials in real time. They report dramatic testimony, legal maneuverings and more, and they do it in more detail than traditional media allow.

Online videos are just one technique that courts — and some judges — are using to expand their communications horizons. As more people get information via the Internet, the judicial branch is using social media to reach them.

Both inside and outside the Beltway, people w ho are passionate about the business of government already have discovered the simplicity, immediacy and global reach of blogging.

After gaining prominence in the media and the political arena, blogs are becoming a force within policy-making circles. Think tanks and their wonks have blogs. So do trade associations, watchdog groups and other special interests.

With increasing frequency, candidates across the country are paying bloggers to write, develop Web sites, connect with energetic allies, respond to online critics, and advise their employers about how to behave.

Raj Bhakta is trying to parlay his appearance on the reality TV show "The Apprentice" into a political career. He is using the blogosphere to generate buzz and bucks.

Steve Urquhart, the House majority whip in Utah, is using his blog to court Republican voters in the Beehive State to support his primary challenge to long-time U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch.

Many Americans see Wal-Mart, with its 3,800 stores in all 50 states, as the epitome of all that is wrong with retail these. But millions more love shopping there. That explains why bloggers are increasingly interested in the company.

A book review of "An Army of Davids: How Markets and Technology Empower Ordinary People to Beat Big Media, Big Government and Other Goliaths," and "Crashing The Gate: Netroots, Grassroots, and the Rise of People-Powered Politics."