Someone asked about my take on the "public or private" debate about blogs and what is safe to put on a blog. I think there are somethings I would definitely not put up but for many things it all comes down to your own level of paranoia.
Before I started this blog, my main argument for not blogging was not wanting so much of my personal information out there for the world to see. There are still some things I keep from appearing on my blog like my exact location and kids' school and social security number, etc. :) But since I felt inspired to start this blog and because of the benefits I have received from it being so public I feel comfortable with keeping it public.
Personally I feel like if people REALLY want to find YOU and your personal information, they can. A blog divulging your life just makes it lots easier. Still I try by not putting up information that could be used to steal our identity or stock us. Sometimes Jon wishes I would put up less information, fewer pictures of the girls, etc. But I do want this also to serve as my record of our life at this time and I do want to slurp it into a book soon, so I try to include as much as I can that I think is safe.
It is a personal decision for everyone. If you are worried about it, go private. Just know that fewer people will read your blog because you can't read private blogs on Google Reader or other subscription services. If you go public you can reach far more people and make new friends like I have.
I have especially been benefitted to know that some of what I have written has helped or inspired others who I don't even know and somehow stumbled across my blog. I like to think perhaps Camille leads people here who need to hear something I have written. Either way it gives purpose to our senseless loss and that is one of the few things that really eases the pain of the loss for me. It is easier to think her death has had a real positive impact on people. My own pain is worth it if enough good can come from it. I just hope and pray for the impact she has had on people, myself included, will be a lasting one.
Good luck in your decision to do public or private.
9 comments:
I wanted to let you know that I am very thankful that you share so candidly and still have a public blog. Your blog has given me the ability to better understand the emotions that surround such a loss so that I can better help my friend who lost her 17 month old baby girl in April.
So, I just used blurb and slurped my blog into a book a couple weeks ago. My book came yesterday and I am thrilled with how it turned out. The quality, for the price, was fantastic. It was a little time consuming, but well worth it. I'm going to do a book for every year. That's where I struggle a bit... i want to add more peronsal information and more insights into our family, since it's going to be recorded, but I wonder if I should go private, then...
I try not to be too paranoid. Heck, my blog name is "Texas Bangerters". That's pretty identifiable. I guess if someone really wanted to find me they could. Really, how many Bangerters can there be in Texas? Wait...Texas is a big state!
I have started putting a "watermark" on the pictures I post so, theoretically, someone can't steal my pictures so that's something I've started doing.
Oh, I've also started watching SYTYCD!! All because of your posts. I was watching this weeks episodes on my DVR last night and it totally cracks me up that they are going to be in SLC on July 24th! Seriously???!?!? I guess they should get a good turn out since it's a "holiday"! LOL!
I'm glad you are public. My blog is private and I don't like that sometimes but using sitemeter I found that someone was looking at my blog LOTS of times a day, and he/she lived in a place that I knew NOBODY from. I tried to ask them who they were but they ignored me. I felt uncomfortable with it so I went private.
I have slurped my blog into a book using blurb. It's fun. Good luck with it!
i figure if someone really wants to find me or my family they will find another way to do so even if i go private. i mean you can look up lots of info about ppl on the WWW without them having a blog! i just don't put like our address or identifiers like that up!
Stephanie-
I am one of those "Blog Friends" who you don't even know exists, yet you have helped me several times through your posts about grief.
I lost a son after holding him for 90 minutes and am six months out. Several of your blog entries reverberate with what I am feeling and they give me hope.
I am grateful I found your blog as you help me.
Thank you!
Jennifer
www.thelittlestclark.blogspot.com
I have been enjoying your blog for a long time. I am grateful you share your story- all your kids are so adorable. I just had my blog printed into a book, because mine is also my journal of the happenings in our family at this time. It turned out very nice. I have done my blog for my family, so I thought a hard copy would be nice. Thank you for staying public.
I think that being public is a choice, I agree with you on that. And for the most part it is true, if someone wanted to find you they would. But I think it is important to realize that with a blog you make it easier. And someone may have never found you otherwise. But as an adult I think you censor the information you post and do what you feel contented with sharing.
On another note, your daughter might want to take her blog private. Only because of her age, and her vulnerability at that age.
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