It is funny how technology changes things. Since we got our first Gateway computer back in the dark ages until now things have changed dramatically. And I am not talking just in size or amount of electronic devices that are available. I am talking about how much people can find out about you—without you even knowing it or realizing it. Our youngest son has always cautioned me about divulging too much online or about being smart about things. Well, I “think” that I am but I really am not. When I think about it—I have said things in a public forum (either Facebook, Twitter or on a blog) that I probably should not have said. Or have said things that could have been misinterpreted. I think that it is easy to just sit at a keyboard and type away thinking that I can be anonymous but that is really pretty impossible in this day and age. I even tried my hand at Foursquare for a bit where you “log in” to wherever you are and alert your friends that you are there–hoping to become mayor of that establishment….maybe not the utmost in privacy, you think?
The internet can be a great thing. Why just today I ordered things online, viewed an obituary of the mom of a dear friend, worked on a photo book, watched clips of the USA Olympic teams, found a new recipe to try out, paid a bill, and the day is still young!!! There is still much to do! I have found my first grade best friend whose name, coincidentally, is now Beth Brown (yep, MY maiden name), ordered books that my great uncle wrote, and recently I got a request for pictures of a church that we attended years ago from someone who I absolutely do not know anything about or how they found me or how they knew that we attended there. Now that is the kind of thing that kind of creeps me out. Though it is probably a perfectly innocent request I admit that it did. I don’t know this person from Adam . Or Eve. I keep my Facebook profile pretty locked down tightly profile wise and I am very discerning about who I accept to be my “friend”. But still…there are savvy people out there that can grab information and use it. And not always in a good way.
My parting thoughts today are that I need to be careful. I am pretty much an open book person but maybe that isn’t a good thing. Thoughts?? Experiences??? Love to hear comments especially from fellow bloggers about if you censor things that you write about or if you just make your blog private. I must admit I like to see how many people visit my blog each day and I love comments so I guess that I won’t go private but maybe not be quite so open?????
Thanks to all have started following my blog recently!!! Love meeting new folks and for those of you with blogs I am trying to get to reading all of them!!! This week looks like it just might happen!
28 Comments
Leave a commentDid you ask the person with the photo request how they tracked you down? But, I’m not sure I would want to know. Ignorance is bliss! Unless of course it gets you in trouble. I’m no help today!
Nah…I kind of ignored the request…….my way of dealing with it!!! 🙂 Ignorance is bliss!
I am pretty open about me & marc. However, I never write about work (unless it is a funny story that happens to me there – although there could be anywhere) and when I write about others I change all names and identifying info. I may even make a girl a guy and vice versa…
Yep–you, my friend, use good judgment!!!The work stuff is a good thing to not share, isn’ it??? I just think that sometimes it is so easy to not filter things online that should be filtered! I can’t believe what I read on Facebook sometimes……
I love the internet because it’s introduced me to folks like YOU! Sorry to have been away from your blog all weekend. I know I’ve missed a lot–just preparing for visits from two blogging buddies beginning tomorrow. See, how great the internet is?!
Hugs,
Kathy
More blogging buddies??? I am sooooo jealous!!! 🙂 I have been away from everybody’s blogs for a long time so I hope I can catch up this week!!! Have fun with your buddies!!!
Yep the internet is bittersweet! I think I am way more cautious because I still have youngins in the house. 🙂
Yes—I am sure with younguns in the house you REALLY need to be on your toes with that!!! I am learning!!!! Sometimes it takes me awhile and I just don’t think about things as much as I should!!! 🙂
I try to use caution and as you know, on my blog I don’t use names and there are some things I don’t talk about. I know, I still am too open… but that’s just how I am. So things will be said that probably shouldn’t… I think, when I decided not to go anonymous with my blog the decision was pretty much made!!! 🙂
I think you use the utmost discretion on your blog!!! 🙂
The internet is such a wonderful and scary thing at the same time.
Exactly!!! I am totally in agreement with you on that!
The Internet has opened up a whle new world for me. There is much I like about it. I admit the loss of privacy, I do not like…….I guess we just have to be careful what we put out there and hope for the best.
I think that that is how most of us feel. It is a wonderful thing but there is a definite down side to it!!!
I try to be cautious in the information I share, but who knows where the line is actually drawn? How do we know we aren’t fooling ourselves into thinking things are more secure than they are?
Yea, I know—-I am sure I have divulged more than I should have at times!!!!
I am not a blogger but the mother of a blogger and I must admit that I fear my daughter sometimes tells about vacations, etc., which may not always be a good thing. Maybe I worry too much?
A mother will always worry. That is what we do.
My main thing is not to share when I’ll be out of town. I’m also careful regarding what I write about my kids, even though they are all adults now. And I’m meticulous in screening comments.
Do you get comments that need screened? I guess I have only had one or two over the span of my blog that I felt needed to be left off because of the tone or whatever……but I guess people don’t always think when they write comments either!!! 🙂 Thanks for the thoughts!
I censor more in the “is my client going to somehow find this” kind of way than any other!
Oh yea—I can totally see that!! That would be a little awkward if you posted something “sensitive” and somehow a client saw it…..
The data mining that Facebook does completely creeps me out. I briefly had an account, but when it became obvious that FB was mining my email without my consent I closed it and never went back.
Oh it is true!! It is everywhere, though—ads that pop up when you do a google search according to what you have bought in the past, etc……crazy!!!
I think we are all open … or were… until we discovered how easily it is to hunt you down… or have someone find you. But then the very fact that that exists makes it easier for us to find other people too.
Not sure there is really a right or wrong here… if someone wants to do you harm… they’re going to!
I totally get your point! There are always two sides, right???
I am cautious about what I share on the internet – I tell people my city, but not the area; I tell them I work, but not who for; I don’t name my children or my hubby. I also censor what I say because I found out my daughter follows my blog, so I don’t always talk about things I would like to talk about. One example of this was when katy8did started a writing challenge based on the 7 Deadly Sins. I wanted desperately to write about one of the topics & couldn’t because I would have to reveal some details about my past I have never revealed to anyone in my family. Struggling with my need to write on this topic & my fear of writing it, as well as all the emotions brought up by reliving the terrible events I had to live through led to me backing away from my blog for a while & it was very hard to get back. I’m not sure what the answer is in this situation – for myself I chose not to be selfish & share something from my past that would have caused my family pain for them to know about.
I think you made the right choice—-I guess you could always write it and put it someplace no one would find it—kind of like a secret journal!!! It is hard to know sometimes what to reveal and what not to and I am sure I have said more than I should at times but it is all done innocently, that is for sure. I would never intend to harm anyone with my words but I am thinking about things more these days when I write. Thanks for the comment! I always appreciate what you have to say!