Blogging

Blogs, or online diaries, are exploding in popularity among both adults and kids. While blogging used to be limited to a technologically-savvy few, there are now many sites that allow you to set up a blog with only a few clicks of the mouse. Some of these sites, such as Blogger , Xanga , MySpace  and LiveJournal , are especially popular with teenagers.

Blogs can be a great way for teenagers to express themselves, explore their identities, and practice writing skills. However, kids need to understand that these posts are out there for all the world to see. Few teenagers use any security settings on their blogs, yet they often imagine that what they post is private. Many give out personal information about themselves - where they go to school, phone numbers, addresses, where they hang out. Some even post pictures of themselves on their blogs. While there have been no reported instances of predators finding victims on blogs, the potential is certainly there, and kids need to be careful about what information they give out.