Journalists-turned-bloggers know the risks involved, because they understand the laws of libel and defamation. But there is a wide range of risks involved when it comes to political blogs –from simply getting beaten up, to being on a black list, to a frivolous lawsuit.

I came across two this week — a week that has seen live blogging from the congressional hearings of Bernie Madoff–  that speaks to this risky business.

• Death threat to a political blogger in Sri Lanka
• Blogger in Virginia gets ‘outrageous’ subpoena – for blogging about a lawsuit!

Last year, we saw a spate of attacks on bloggers aross the world. Iran, China, and whenever one group finds itself under the scrutiny of bloggers. What’s next? Lawsuits filed against Twitter users? Going after people filing video iReports?

Those who cannot easily threaten and muzzle traditional media suddenly find it much easier to bully someone –usually it is an individual, not a syndicated blog — engaged in social media . The laws will have to adapt fast as the lines between old and new media blur.