The Dangers of Personal Blogging
I just read this great post about providing too much personal information on your blog. The author highlights the eight biggest dangers of personal blogging:
1. Personal details are often interesting only to you. They can make readers think less of you as a person.
2. Personal details are usually irrelevant to the main purpose of your blog, especially a business, marketing, academic, or other serious topic blog.
3. Personal details can alienate an employer, who just doesn't like or agree with specific opinions, attitudes, or habits that you reveal.
4. Personal details can be easily misinterpreted and used against you.
5. Personal details about your family can lead to endangering family members.
6. Personal details, from a teenage girl for example, can entice male perverts and kidnappers to try to seduce the young female blogger into meeting them in some dark part of town.
7. Personal details about your lifestyle, habits, and haunts can be used by stalkers who don't like the opinions expressed on your blog, and wish to harm you physically.
8. Personal details can make you an easy target for identity theft.
Articles like this and the Be A Safe Blogger Primer have made me reconsider what I put on my blog. You have to be careful when writing about events and experiences in your life. You never know who might be reading, or why they're looking at your blog.
I think I've done a good job in the past of limiting the amount of personal information I reveal about myself and my family. And I'm certainly going to be vigilant in the future. While reviewing and assessing my old posts, I started looking at other blogs that I read. Most of them are fine, some of them are walking a fine line, and a few are sailing through dangerous waters.
Here's how some of my fellow North Idaho bloggers stand in terms of the amount of personal information they have been revealing on their blogs over the past few months. Graded on a danger scale of 1 (Anonymous) to 10 (Stalker Heaven):
Not So Fast
Kristin's collection of odd links and hilarious insights is one of the least revealing blogs out there. However, her regular readers know a few personal details, such as where she works and attends church. We know that she has a sister, loves Dr. Pepper, and was born in California.
The Not So Fast blog rarely focuses on personal experiences and events. Not much to worry about here. Danger Level: 3
The Angry Commentator
You can't be angry without revealing a little bit of yourself and Stebbijo does just that in bits and pieces. Her personal posts are about experiences that, naturally, make her mad. But she tends not to dwell on herself, instead pointing out the outside events that make her blood boil.
Points off for revealing her last name and her photo. Danger Level: 5
CDADAVE
Aside from his first name and a few of his old jobs, Dave hasn't revealed too many substantive details about himself. His stream of consciousness posts tell us more about his thoughts and opinions than anything else. There's personal information in his blog, but it's usually in the context of a bigger issue.
The World According to CDADAVE is a mostly safe world. Danger Level: 4
Winter of Eternal Sunshine
Lauren's personal blog is rife with personal details and candid photos about its author and her friends. But she's halfway around the world in Australia, where the locals have "no worries, mate."
Still, this blog should probably be password-protected, accessible by friends and family only. Danger Level: 7
From A Simple Mind
Loads of personal experiences here, but mostly from the past - whether it be the day before or years ago. Big pluses are the anonymous username "Word Tosser" and the absence of a photo. Some of the names and locations could be changed, without affecting the tone of the wonderful stories.
However, I would imagine that a mother of 8 has NO FEAR. Danger Level: 4
Slight Detour
Marianne's posts are among the best and most creative of any blog of its type, and I am not worthy of criticizing her writing.
But that won't stop me from pointing out that her blog is chock full of personal information about herself, her family, friends, and many citizens of Sandpoint. Danger Level: 5
Whitecaps
Bill does it right. His blog has a specific niche, and he does not include personal information other than past work experiences related to the subject of the post.
The only negative is the "About Me" information at the top of the blog. Danger Level: 2
Huckleberries Online
The daddy (or adopted daddy) of them all, Dave Oliveria, is at an automatic disadvantage because his blog is an extension of his job as a columnist with the Spokesman-Review. Everyone knows where he works and what he looks like, and he's grown accustomed over the years to sharing personal information in his writings. Beyond that, he frequently shares his daily schedule and alerts us to meetings that he will be attending. Readers of his blog have also learned: the names of his kids and where they attend college; which of his family members have moved to Coeur d'Alene and what neighborhoods they purchased houses in; where Dave was born, attended college, and every job he's worked; upcoming vacations for the Oliveria family; and a wide array of hobbies and interests for himself.
Dave has the best, and most popular, blog in North Idaho. It's also the most revealing of them all. Danger Level: 8
If I missed your blog, it's because I ran out of steam around midnight. Look over your posts, read the articles linked above, and make adjustments that make you comfortable. If anything I've written has caused offense, none was intended. I just hope I've given local bloggers a few things to think about.
1. Personal details are often interesting only to you. They can make readers think less of you as a person.
2. Personal details are usually irrelevant to the main purpose of your blog, especially a business, marketing, academic, or other serious topic blog.
3. Personal details can alienate an employer, who just doesn't like or agree with specific opinions, attitudes, or habits that you reveal.
4. Personal details can be easily misinterpreted and used against you.
5. Personal details about your family can lead to endangering family members.
6. Personal details, from a teenage girl for example, can entice male perverts and kidnappers to try to seduce the young female blogger into meeting them in some dark part of town.
7. Personal details about your lifestyle, habits, and haunts can be used by stalkers who don't like the opinions expressed on your blog, and wish to harm you physically.
8. Personal details can make you an easy target for identity theft.
Articles like this and the Be A Safe Blogger Primer have made me reconsider what I put on my blog. You have to be careful when writing about events and experiences in your life. You never know who might be reading, or why they're looking at your blog.
I think I've done a good job in the past of limiting the amount of personal information I reveal about myself and my family. And I'm certainly going to be vigilant in the future. While reviewing and assessing my old posts, I started looking at other blogs that I read. Most of them are fine, some of them are walking a fine line, and a few are sailing through dangerous waters.
Here's how some of my fellow North Idaho bloggers stand in terms of the amount of personal information they have been revealing on their blogs over the past few months. Graded on a danger scale of 1 (Anonymous) to 10 (Stalker Heaven):
Not So Fast
Kristin's collection of odd links and hilarious insights is one of the least revealing blogs out there. However, her regular readers know a few personal details, such as where she works and attends church. We know that she has a sister, loves Dr. Pepper, and was born in California.
The Not So Fast blog rarely focuses on personal experiences and events. Not much to worry about here. Danger Level: 3
The Angry Commentator
You can't be angry without revealing a little bit of yourself and Stebbijo does just that in bits and pieces. Her personal posts are about experiences that, naturally, make her mad. But she tends not to dwell on herself, instead pointing out the outside events that make her blood boil.
Points off for revealing her last name and her photo. Danger Level: 5
CDADAVE
Aside from his first name and a few of his old jobs, Dave hasn't revealed too many substantive details about himself. His stream of consciousness posts tell us more about his thoughts and opinions than anything else. There's personal information in his blog, but it's usually in the context of a bigger issue.
The World According to CDADAVE is a mostly safe world. Danger Level: 4
Winter of Eternal Sunshine
Lauren's personal blog is rife with personal details and candid photos about its author and her friends. But she's halfway around the world in Australia, where the locals have "no worries, mate."
Still, this blog should probably be password-protected, accessible by friends and family only. Danger Level: 7
From A Simple Mind
Loads of personal experiences here, but mostly from the past - whether it be the day before or years ago. Big pluses are the anonymous username "Word Tosser" and the absence of a photo. Some of the names and locations could be changed, without affecting the tone of the wonderful stories.
However, I would imagine that a mother of 8 has NO FEAR. Danger Level: 4
Slight Detour
Marianne's posts are among the best and most creative of any blog of its type, and I am not worthy of criticizing her writing.
But that won't stop me from pointing out that her blog is chock full of personal information about herself, her family, friends, and many citizens of Sandpoint. Danger Level: 5
Whitecaps
Bill does it right. His blog has a specific niche, and he does not include personal information other than past work experiences related to the subject of the post.
The only negative is the "About Me" information at the top of the blog. Danger Level: 2
Huckleberries Online
The daddy (or adopted daddy) of them all, Dave Oliveria, is at an automatic disadvantage because his blog is an extension of his job as a columnist with the Spokesman-Review. Everyone knows where he works and what he looks like, and he's grown accustomed over the years to sharing personal information in his writings. Beyond that, he frequently shares his daily schedule and alerts us to meetings that he will be attending. Readers of his blog have also learned: the names of his kids and where they attend college; which of his family members have moved to Coeur d'Alene and what neighborhoods they purchased houses in; where Dave was born, attended college, and every job he's worked; upcoming vacations for the Oliveria family; and a wide array of hobbies and interests for himself.
Dave has the best, and most popular, blog in North Idaho. It's also the most revealing of them all. Danger Level: 8
If I missed your blog, it's because I ran out of steam around midnight. Look over your posts, read the articles linked above, and make adjustments that make you comfortable. If anything I've written has caused offense, none was intended. I just hope I've given local bloggers a few things to think about.
10 Comments:
I loved this -- points off for revealing name and photo? DFO doesn't even know if I am real!
....as far as yourself. You are way into the danger zone -- your picture is on the S-R Regional Bloggers page and you do not hesitate to discuss your family! Rest assured, there is some safety in public exposure.
...and you take HUGE risks, publishing great photos of the Duane - getting the CDA Press' shorts all in a wad! You tell it like it is --- that is all very dangerous - definitely a 10!
....really nice blog. Thank-you.
You got their shorts all in a wad? Cool. And Stebbijo, you are too real. You're confusing yourself with Edge.
Cathy:
Unlike The Edge, I do not call DFO on the phone at noon. There is no way DFO can say I am real. I am a figmant of his imagination. -- (he hopes)
We may have to take this dicussion to headquarters.
Great stuff. I hadn't even given a thought to some of these issues, and it was eye-opening. Never hurts to take a different point of view on your habits/regular activities. Good Public Service Announcement! :)
You're the second person who calls my stuff "stream-of-consciousness". Well, I like to write about things I encounter, so there's gonna be at least "some" reality in there. But, I have actually been stalked by people in my lifetime, so I consciously choose not to reveal too much about myself. Maybe, if someone reads my blog, and then goes out and about into society, they might wonder..."I wonder if CDADAVE is out here somewhere watching me?"
So anyway, I appreciate your evaluation; if I'd had a "high number" I definitely would have to curtail some things, but I guess "4" is okay. I dare say you might be doing fellow bloggers a service.
Finally...stream-of-consciousness...is what I'm doing unique or something? I usually put my thots into the blog, the way they hit me. Yeah, I do ramble, tho. But I'm no big threat to anyone, and hopefully, not to myself either.
Thanks for adding me to your list of links.
Your today blog sure gave me food for thought. I guess because I rarely get comments that I don't think anyone is really reading it much. Have low percentages, so figured it is just family and a few friends. I sure will keep your words in mind as I write.
yes, the non picture and wordtosser was done on purpose.
so where has DFO been lately... i haven't been able to find his site for weeks. Going to need professional help soon.
Just wanted to say thanks for the "link." I imagine my danger level is pretty high...I'm just part of the google generation I suppose.
Keep up the good work.
hey phil... good post.
i'd be interested in the way you rated those blogs - was it an equation you created in your head or did you actually use a matrix of some sort?
i ballance the personal and private all the time when making decisions about what to post. i dont want to put too much out there, but at the same time know that anyone can google me and find out much more about me than i'd really ever readily tell folk.
anyhow, just what came to mind re: this post. it was a good one and something i think about all the time and, i believe, has driven at least one blog-friend off line recently.
peace.
Thank you for linking to my post "Dangers of Personal Blogging".
You would not believe the flaming and hostility I've received by warning bloggers of these very real pitfalls of personal and family revelations in blogs.
They hate me for suggesting that they use caution. They attack me for attempting to "limit" their creativity and self-expression.
They say "should we turn off our computers and go live on a desert island?"
They feel they are immune, an underlying attitude of "it can't happen to me...because, er, because I don't wish to believe it could happen to me."
But I'm used to being hated. That's why I call myself, use the nickname, Vaspers the Grate.
I advise everyone to conduct NO financial transactions, no shopping, no banking, no investing online...due to identity theft and compromised networks.
If a hacker breaks into your computer and steals your PIN and other data, the bank is not responsible, because their system was not compromised.
People have been wiped out financially, with no recourse, due to taking advantage of the "convenience, speed, and ease" of online transactions.
Beware.
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