Dangers in blogging
Posted on December 28, 2007
Filed Under Employment | 10 Comments
According to a study by Pew International, more than 50 million Internet users read blogs regularly. There are more than 12,000 new blogs created every day and about 10,800 blog updates per hour. Blogs have become one of the drivers of Internet growth.
Blogs are gaining popularity and following because it is a cost-effective and time-efficient way of connecting with people and friends. One can be updated on the goings-on of your far-away relatives through blogs.Some blogs are like scrapbooks where digital photos are displayed. It saves the cost of getting film processed, and sharing a blog with others is free.
Blogging also fills a need. While blogging provides a humanizing effect on news and journaling, it also opens a window into personal lives.
However, one should be aware of some of of the dangers associated with the openning of the window into one’s personal lives.
I just want to highlight a few of legal related dangers and you may read in the link – here for other dangers.
1. It can get you fired.
If you blog at work and your company finds out, you may face discipline or termination as it is common to find terms of employment that states that one is perform work during office hours and not otherwise. Even if you do blog outside office hours, it would be hard to convince your employers of that fact. Once they discover that you are a blogger, often a biased perception develops whereby you would be perceived as someone not focused on the job.
2. It can prevent you from being hired.
If you are in the job market and you dont blog under a pseudonym, please note this other danger. Quoting the source above, “Blogging can get one fired, but many people are not aware that blogs can also prevent them from getting hired. For the job candidate’s blog is more accessible to the search committee than most might think… an applicant’s blog is readily available for any computer with a connection.”
In the same article, it is also said that “because a blog can easily become a therapeutic outlet, a place to vent one’s frustrations, it becomes an open diary or confessional booth, where inward thoughts are publicly aired.. job seekers who are also bloggers may have a tough road ahead.”
3. It may cause you to be arrested.
Your identity can be easily discovered through various means – if you use your real name, if you post your pictures or if your blog is self-hosted, through the Whois information of your domain.
If you have been posting about politics and having been writing against the government of Malaysia, you may risk being caught under draconian laws such as Seditions Act or the Internal Security Act. It all depends on what you have written and whether your blog is under the radar of the enforcement agencies.
This post is by no means an attempt to discourage people from blogging but to raise awareness of some legal dangers of blogging.
Here are some tips to avoid some of these dangers:
1. Do not have an online profile.
Most blogging services allow bloggers to create an online profile. While it might be fun to post information about likes and dislikes, it is best to refrain from posting any personal details. Often, personal details inadvertently provide insight into physical location or habits.
2. Post anonymously.
Manage your blog anonymously or adopt an alias for all online posting. This will help protect you in the event that you draw unwanted attention.
3. Avoid personal or identifying details.
Avoid any personal or identifying details when posting in your blog. Do not post in advance about locations that you will be or about areas that you live near.
4. No photos.
Refrain from posting a picture of yourself.
5. Avoid inappropriate dialogue.
Be careful not to engage in dialogue that could be interpreted in a way that it was not intended. Sometimes humorous threads can get out of hand.
6. Timeless.
Internet content is timeless, and keep in mind that even if you remove content, it might be archived or syndicated. If you do not want something read, do not post it to the Internet. Employers search the Internet to discern an individuals history. Sordid details about a late night will not help land a coveted job.
While blogging can be a great outlet and channel, and in someway immortalizing thoughts, it is important that safety is considered and that good blogging practices are followed at all times.
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10 Responses to “Dangers in blogging”
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I wrote about this before. The thing that people never realize is that being online doesn’t discount you from being discovered, unless you’re hidden behind true anonymity. Even with that, most bloggers are a ham to begin with, so it’s hard to stop there.
The only thing you can do is learn how to blog eloquently, that is with respect to keep what needs to be kept private, private. Ranting is one thing, but what a lot of personal bloggers need to learn is how to do it cryptically.
This is a good post – its so easy to forget sometimes when one do not see the readers.
I use real name in my blog and posted my personal photo. I think the bottom line is to behave one self either online or offline.
how about identity thief?
Dude, you just contradicted yourself
The very fact that you blog and advocate against blogging… how to say ahh?
I think it’s time to start editing my online profiles!
Hi Innocent Blogger,
Did you read my post in the entirety?
Perhaps you miss the 2nd part on: “Here are some tips to avoid some of these dangers”?
LOL.
Some blogs are like scrapbooks where digital photos are displayed. It saves the cost of getting film processed, and sharing a blog with others is free.
brian’s last blog post..Seditious Statements
I know it’s hardly possible to talk about any kind of privacy on the Internet but still. Many people use Internet as an outlet for their thoughts and emotions. People need at least some chance to be free. And now because almost everyone of us has to have a job, [eople will be deprived of this opportunity because of some employers interested in their inner world and private life. It’s not fair to take this information into account if you are really going to hire this person. Because logically you hire them because they are good at doing something but not because they have their blog.
I have just started a small seo consultancy business and the steady income thing is not a major concern for me, as I have a lot of clients who pay in monthly installments. The one thing that I find hard is knowing when to stop work and when I can actually start it. I have a young family so time is a major issue for me.