Thoughts on Internet Privacy

Ok, SOOOO....I have been asked (almost accused) why I use my children's names on my family blog. I have a simple answer, but one people usually scoff at: I don't really feel like random people are interested in it or checking it out. My blog is not private, nor do I do much to maintain any kind of anonymity in it. I do take a few precautions: I don't use our exact local, or our last name, or the name of their school (or their teachers), but that is about it. So many of my fellow bloggers use initials or cutsey made-up names or their blogs are private. I decided early on that blogging would be a way for my family to keep up with the happenings of our lives, and I didn't want to make that difficult for them (having to sign in for a private blog or decipher code names). I know the dangers that are out there, but I feel confident enough that no one but family and friends are reading my blog to do anything else about it.

And then there is facebook. I approach that from a VERY different perspective because it is a venue that is MUCH more accessible to the public at large. A blog is difficult to come across unless you know the name or there is a link to it from another blog. My blog doesn't get an unusual amount of traffic (yes, I have a hit counter on it). If it did, I might reconsider the whole privacy thing. Facebook, on the other hand, can be accessed by anyone and there is no way of determining how many people are viewing your profile. So, I am completely private on that. Someone can search for me, but all they will see is my profile photo, the fact that I am female, and my "pages". My friends are hidden, as are my photos, wall, and info. I am not linked to google so if you google my name, my facebook page will not come up (although several others with my name will). Actually, if you google my married name, I don't show up anywhere, just a bunch of other people with my name. Only a few things show up under my maiden name and none of them are relevant to the here and now.

And that's it. That's my story and I am sticking to it. I don't think that because I use my children's names in a blog that I am a bad mom or putting them in any danger. This is the way I've chosen to approach blogging and you can judge me for it if you want, but that is not going to change the way I do things. Just remember: "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Matt 7:2) and "Do not be afraid of any man, for judgment belongs to God." (Deut. 1:17)