Who Knows What You Are Up To?

Kids who once thought writing about dating, drinking, and partying on their blogs was only going to be seen by their friends need a reality check. Parents across the country are learning about what their teenagers are up to by reading their blogs. According to the Pew, Internet and American Life Project, 1/5 of teens who have access to the web have a blog compared to 1/10 of adults with access have blogs. Some teens are now realizing that what they choose to write on the Internet can have a price.

Today an article appeared on CNN.com "Bloggers learn the price of telling too much"discussing how people are using what others say in their blogs against them. They discuss the example of conservative politician Alan Keyes daughter, whose blog about her life as a lesbian gave her father and his campaign headaches when he was running for U.S. Senate.

These examples are going to become more and more common. Today people are providing personal information all over the Internet. Everyone I know has their screen name, hobbies, favorite movies, books, and quotes on the Facebook or Friendster. Some people go as far giving their mailing addresses, phone numbers, dorm rooms on these sites. A recent article in the GW Hatchet talks about how incoming freshmen are even trying to use the Facebook to choose their roommates.

We need to realize that anything we put online can be read by anyone...and I mean anyone! So if you don't want your mother, boss, grandmother, or 3rd grade boyfriend to know you are doing it, don't put it online!