| Author | |
CathinCoffeland
Forum Pro
Joined: May 19 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 367
|
| Posted: May 18 2007 at 12:20am | IP Logged
|
 |
|
Not sure where to post this but...
I was talking about my family blog and project blog (one private one public) with my neighbor and she went totally off on me about the danger of it- everything from pedophiles to social security # fraud due to people hacking me.
She kept mentioning blogger and my space and oprah- i dont know what my space is, have never seen oprah but i do use blogger .
I am sooo not tech savy- obviously since i had to be told to start resizing my pics before posting 
so can someone tell me what they know about saftey issues and blogging?
thanks Maggie
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Jordan
Forum Pro
Joined: Nov 01 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 137
|
| Posted: May 18 2007 at 8:15am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Maggie,
I started a family blog 4+ years ago for family and friends and didn't give much thought to the dangers of it. At that time, I only knew of one or two other people who had blogs and it was still a pretty new thing. I didn't publicize when my husband was out of town or give out my home address or social security number or anything but that was about the extent of my being careful. After a couple of years, it was brought to my attention that some pictures of my children had been copied from my family blog and posted to a website for adults who would pay to look at pictures of people, young and old, in diapers. My children's pictures were among many and the FBI investigated it and the website was shut down. I was quite disturbed by the whole thing and after some consideration, I decided, instead of not blogging at all, I would password protect my family blog.
I don't know how often that kind of thing happens but it was a wake-up call for me to be more careful. The blog I have linked in my signature is pretty new and I am still deciding what I do and don't feel comfortable sharing. I would be interested to read what others think. I try to be careful not to share information or images that would enable an online predator to locate my family. I also do not post pictures of my children unless they are fully dressed.
Doing a quick Google search, I didn't find anything very helpful about blog safety. I read a good article a few months ago but I can't find it now. Maybe someone else can find something.
Take care. 
__________________
Jordan
Cheerios & Fingerpaints
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Lorri
Forum Pro
Joined: Dec 21 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 248
|
| Posted: May 18 2007 at 8:16am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Well, blogging safety is the same as internet safety. Don't tell anyone your real full name, your city, where you work, where your kids go to school. That sort of thing.
Some people don't post pictures of their children. Some will post pictures, but not show their faces. Some people are ok with pictures.
Some people use fake names for themselves and their children.
If you have any regular appointments or habits, don't mention them. Like, "Wednesday is library day, and we got a late start, but sill made it there by 11:30" That tells people that 1) you're not home on Wednesdays around 11:30 and 2) they can find you at the library. Of course, this is less risky if you don't mention where you live.
Be careful of posting pictures of the front of your house.
Never post pictures of your children even partially undressed.
Make sure you have a good firewall on your computer. Hackers are fast and sneaky. Not having a firewall is like leaving your front door unlocked. You may think you're safe, but you run a big risk of someone just walking in and helping themselves. Of course, this applies to anyone with internet access, not just bloggers.
The kind of information you reveal on your blog is up to you. Keep in mind that strangers will be reading your blog and learning lots about you. People can peice together lots but just paying attention. I know I can usually identify the military base a person is at, just by paying close enough attention. But that's because we're an Army family and I'm familiar with many of the bases. I think the average person wouldn't put that kind of thing together.
__________________
Lorri
mom to    
The Mac and Cheese Chronicles
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
chicken lady
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 27 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2315
|
| Posted: May 18 2007 at 8:45am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I cannot help you with blogs, but I recently had a real wake up call about the internet in general. I had people snooping and attempting to hack into my e-mails, and groups, Quite disturbing and schocking to my naive mind!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MaryM
Board Moderator
Joined: Feb 11 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13104
|
| Posted: May 18 2007 at 10:37am | IP Logged
|
|
|
CathinCoffeland wrote:
| i dont know what my space is, have never seen oprah but i do use blogger . |
|
|
For a little MySpace background - There was a discussion here about it and Molly S. posted a link for this article about MySpace.
There are dangers to posting on the internet (even on boards like this) but it is extreme to go off on it all being so dangerous and lump everything together. I think people who actually know very little about it and only get a media sensational view (i.e. Oprah) base their opinions on that. I do think people should be aware and informed and know how predators use the medium. I've been to a presentation by an investigator with the DP/DA's office who works undercover catching internet predators - amazing stories. It actually was kind of ironic listening to the presentation and what they say for our children not to do on the internet and realize that I have "broken the rules" here - like I talk to lots of people I "don't know." I've exchanged personal information in private (addresses for mailings, etc.), I've arranged to meet some people real life. But people here do know people in person - there is a sense of people are who they say they are as some are "famous" and make the conference scene.
I understand from what you shared before that you are doing all the right things - you have a family blog that is for family only, no children's pics, etc. As far as the craft blog - I really don't think that the St. Lucia finger puppet dolls are at serious risk of being targeted by internet predators.
The reaction of people who aren't really familiar with using the internet can be amusing, too. When I visited my parents last fall, I made arrangements to meet Meredith who lives in the genreal area. My parents were a little concerned - "You're meeting with someone you met on the internet??? And you're taking your kids???" It was hard to explain to them that I "really DID know her" and was pretty sure she wasn't a wacko. I just can't see someone spending the time on a Catholic homeschooling forum, sharing liturgical celebration ideas and toilet bowl cleaner suggestions in order to prey on the participants. It's not worth it to them - from the predator presentation I saw these folks are pretty forward, pretty quickly - they don't take a lot time because it isn't worth it to them - there are much easier targets out there.
__________________
Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
J.Anne
Forum Pro
Joined: Oct 24 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 303
|
| Posted: May 18 2007 at 12:56pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Maggie, My mother had this same reaction. It ended up in a big fight. She is highly dramatic about everything. Her latest email told me to watermark my caterpillar photos or someone could steal them, claim that they took them and on and on ending with someone suing me. I really think the chances of anything happening are remote. But out of respect for my mother, I don't post the children's faces or use their names. If I post a photo of them at all I ask myself, "Could this be used for pornography?"
I don't think it is any more or less safe than anything else we do.
__________________
Jennifer
http://ascozyasspring.typepad.com
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Jordan
Forum Pro
Joined: Nov 01 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 137
|
| Posted: May 18 2007 at 3:15pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
J.Anne wrote:
| I don't think it is any more or less safe than anything else we do. |
|
|
I think this is a good point. We don't choose to never leave our homes or interact with the world because of the remote possibility that someone will try to harm us. We take reasonable precautions and live our lives.
__________________
Jordan
Cheerios & Fingerpaints
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
denise3578
Forum Newbie
Joined: June 30 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 33
|
| Posted: May 18 2007 at 3:52pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the limited access blog offer protection? My daughter has a password-only blog on blogger. I understand this to mean that no one can do a search and find her blog. Is this correct?
Denise in VA
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
J.Anne
Forum Pro
Joined: Oct 24 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 303
|
| Posted: May 18 2007 at 4:35pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Jordan, that was the point I made to my mother. I am far more vulnerable when I run early in the morning, drop my children off at their activities, or even go to a shopping mall or mass. I can't live in fear, but obviously I'm not going to post our address or checking account number either.
__________________
Jennifer
http://ascozyasspring.typepad.com
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
CathinCoffeland
Forum Pro
Joined: May 19 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 367
|
| Posted: May 18 2007 at 5:24pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thanks for the resurance ladies...your all pretty on target with what i do already.
phew...my puppets are safe!
Maggie
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Forum Locked) 
4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Safety of blogging?
