From my perspective “moblogging” – however the word has been defined so far – fails.

Adam Greenfield, of v-2.org wasn't off the mark when he wrote, “You ask for my definition of moblogging. Here it is: whatever the people doing it say it is.” (More of Adam's thoughts here.)

You see, when the discussion began the activity of “moblogging” was thought of as simply pushing text and photos one way from a “remote” location or mobile device to a website or blog (IMHO). That content would then be available for desktop access.

Well, two years later moblogging as a label to a plethoria of mobile publishing activity fails to describe the behaviour of many of it's participants. And as such, does a great injustice to all the emergent activity going on – much of which is apparently under the radar.

You see, there is a revolution going on all over the world. People from Japan to India to Europe to the United States and South America are engaging content on mobile devices in record numbers – in fact mobile access to the Internet has already surpassed desktop access. Also rising are expectations as to how you should be able to share content and communicate with the people around you via mobile phone.

Yes, I said mobile phone not “mobile device.” Simple, affordable web-enabled mobile phones. I'm talking the masses here folks. For tens of millions worldwide (more then all us “bloggers” combined) mobile access to publishing, communication and collaboration tools are their one and only pipeline onto the Internet and to each other. The majority of them don't know the luxury of using their mobile device as a “handy” way to publish to their desktop blog. They don't have a desktop.

“Moblogging” as currently defined doesn't account for this. maybe it doesn't have to. But, by focusing on only one aspect of mobile publishing, we lose sight of greater opportunities – providing a greater number of people with a voice, and an even greater number with the ability to become involved. “Blogging” (not moblogging) as I see it is more than just publishing content, it is also the dialogue around the posts (like this discussion), the community it develops and the action that can result. Should not the definition of “moblogging” be expanded to account for those activities from alternative locations and mobile devices as well?

To underscore my point, RSS & Syndication is now is being used to bring content to the mobile phones of people who have until now had zero or little access to a desktop computer – combined with mobile forums, chat etc.- the technology shortchanged are able to engage in mobile-to-mobile and mobile-to-PC communities.

Content + People + Mobile Phones = Mobile Communities = A need for a broader definition of “moblogging”

And why not?