Safe Blogging

Blogging may seem simple, but it also makes it all too easy for personal information to reach the wrong hands. School students should take some of the following precautions into consideration before starting:

• Blogging sites allow, and even encourage, their users to create profiles. While students may like the idea of personalizing their profiles with their interests and hobbies, it is not advisable. A motivated cybercriminal could very well extract a lot of information from a profile.
• Similar to writing a profile, posting photos of students should be avoided also.
• It is a good idea to use an alias rather than blog under a student's real name. This is helpful in keeping your identity a secret in case you spark controversy in the blogs.
• Monitor the blog for inappropriate content. Sometimes, comments and dialogue on the blog can become uncomfortable for the general audience. In this case, discontinue the thread.
• Blogs on the Internet are archived and stored indefinitely. If a post looks like something a student would not want the world to read at a later time, it's better not to post it in the first place.
• Keep integrity in mind. Remember that everyone from high school staff to college recruiters to prospective employers use the Internet to look for digital dirt before hiring or admitting a person.

A blog's audience is not limited to the people who reply or comment on it, but includes people who only gather information without posting anything and may even include a cybercriminal who keeps tabs on the blog's posts and profiles. It is wise to remember the large size of the audience while blogging.

Considering the blog as a teaching tool? See Blog Guidelines for the Classroom.

References

• Blogging Techniques for the K-12 Classroom  (Encyclopedia of Educational Technology)
• The Dangers in Blogging  (Feed for All)
• Privacy Law Blog