CITIZEN journalism may be an overused buzzword nowadays, but that doesn’t stop it from being a reality that has a profound impact on journalists and bloggers alike.

Slate published this story about the explosion of “first-person” witnessing, thanks to camera phones. As the article puts it: this innovation has allowed us to capture the “best of things,” “the worst of things,” and “everything.”

Like any other technology, camera phones can be abused. But its power to capture fleeting moments is undeniable. At the same time, it is also the meanest invention that can break people’s hearts since it can easily invade privacy.

Video clips captured by today’s camera phone-toting crowd have varied from the mundane to the extraordinary. Remember how the video clip of Saddam Hussein’s hanging taken by one of the witnesses using his camera phone sparked controversy worldwide? The camera phone and the power it wields reminds me of the lesson Peter Parker learns as Spider-Man: “With great power comes great responsibility.”

Of late, camera phones have become wonderful tools for journalists like me. We don’t have to be a rocket scientist to take videos now. All we need is a steady arm, nice timing, and a good sense of what makes a good, no, a compelling video.

Last Friday, I met some people over at the Commission on Elections (where I’m assigned now). They were complaining of the military presence in their area. I asked them if they had proof. One of the witnesses brought out a digital camera and started showing me some photos. Immediately, my reporter’s instinct kicked in. I took out my camera phone and shot a video of the witness showing the photos.

See the result: