How to Become a Better Blogger 2: Online Privacy
The Better Blogger is aware that blogging is based on relationship building. There are no shortcuts to relationship-building. You need to lay the foundations by being clear about who you are, what you are about and what you hope to achieve through the new relationship.
In the first article in this How to Become a Better Blogger series we briefly examined the need to introduce yourself to your readers and to consider who your readers are under two subtitles:
- Who are you?
- Who is Your Audience?
In this post I would like to focus on Online Privacy.
Who Are You? Blogging Under Your Real Name
The proponents of blogging under your real name take the position that doing so provides:
- a sense of responsibility for the things they blog about and publish;
- readers a clear idea of their interests and preoccupations;
- business and professional advantages of becoming a well know name in a chosen field.
My blogging tip is that if yours is a business blog or a professional blog then you may want to consider blogging under your real name and posting a recent photo. Blogging under your real name allows you to build a name and branding credibility for yourself and your blog in your area of interest. However, if you are a business or professional blogger that desires the freedom to be more casual or, if you want to develop a tone and persona online that’s different than the normal you, then blogging under a pseudonym will be the better choice to make.Further reading:
The Name Game: Transparency, Authenticity, and Being Your True Self
Blog under your real name, and ignore the harassment
Photo credit
Online Privacy
Both within the blogosphere and without, the proponents of blogging under your real name and proponents of blogging under a pseudonym appear to be evenly split.
But how personal is too personal? How shocking is too shocking? How will what we post today affect our personal safety? Our relationships with friends and family? Our future job prospects? Our customer relations?
How do we remain true to ourselves and our unique voices, while making sure our online world doesn’t intrude negatively on the three-dimensional one? — Jenn Thorsen in Wave!– The World is Watching
For most people being anonymous on the Internet is not a life-or-death matter. You aren’t dissenting against a fascist police state, or trying to hide from the secret police or from a crazy ex-lover who means to do you harm. You are anonymous because you want to keep a modicum of privacy. It is an easy goal to achieve if you put some thought into it. — engtech in Web Anonymity 103 – Online Privacy
I recommend reading the following:
Web Anonymity 101 – Digital Breadcrumbs as an introduction;
Web Anonymity 102 – A Case Study of how easy it is to find information about a person online;
Web Anonymity 103 – Online Privacy on steps to protect your online identity;
How to Blog Safely (About Work or Anything Else).
- situations where bloggers lost their jobs because of their Facebook activity.
- harassment and stalking and criminal threats made by internet trolls.
- being placed on government and/or police watchlists.
- becoming a target for identity theft.
Who Are You? Blogging Under a Pseudonym
The proponents of blogging under a pseudonym take the position that blogging under your real name has led to:
See also: At the Uneasy Intersection of Bloggers and the Law
Photo credit
Posting Contact Information Safely
Spammers have several ways to collect valid email addresses. It’s also noteworthy that some viruses that spread themselves by email read the browser’s cache of the infected computer to find possible victims: so if an infected computer is used to browse a web page containing your address, the virus might sends itself to you via an infected mail from that computer. There are simple ways to prevent such spam bots from doing their “dirty work”. Four such strategies can be found in Eluding Email Address Spam Bots.
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timethief — I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, for many reasons. How much identifiable information do I want out there, especially given the topics I blog about? And is it too late now?
Thank you for posting about it. The links are thought-provoking, too.
Have started blogging a few days back, and this blog provides me the inspiration which I need to keep going … thanks a TON….
I am a huge proponent of ‘anonymous’ blogging as I have been threatened by online trolls. Beyond threatened. Actually physically injured by someone armed with a semi-automatic. I’m sure my situation was extreme. It has changed what I share and I no longer just blog. Everything I write is unfortunately calculated. Meaning that I scrutinize to make sure nothing I say can lead back to me or my family in the real world. Looking back on how I blogged, before this happened to me; I left a bread-crumb trail right to my home, without even really knowing it. We can’t control who reads our blogs. Only a fool would assume that all who drop by are innocuous folks.
I blog anonymously – I wish I’d thought more about the name I chose as it was completely random but it’ll do! My reason is just because I write about my work and I don’t want my ‘real identity’ to be widely known or for people I work with to know that it’s me that’s writing. I think though, someone with a great intent would probably have enough information to find me or come pretty close as I’ve probably given enough personal information to identify me.
With that in mind, I am still a bit careful about what I write and anonymise everyone I write about in a work context. I change some of the details about other people too.
And created a new email address specifically. It doesn’t see much traffic but you never know :)
I once sold a phone to a complete nut on ebay. Of course, given that it was a business transaction the fella had all my information. I received several threatening emails and at one time a very strange delivery in my mailbox. (I’ll keep the contents of that to myself, it was nasty)
In any case, be it blogging or business, you are giving up your privacy with the hopes that all will go well. Much of that depends on how you portray yourself and handle conflicts. Regardless of how careful or professional you try to be, after some time you will be confronted with a tough situation. The best advice is not to allow a bad situation to escalate. In my case, I went straight to my local police and the harrassment quickly ceased.
Just this morning I received a phone call from a person that recognized my picture. At one time they knew my name but addressed me by a wrong name this morning. Had they dug only a bit further into my visible online presence that could have been avoided.
I have jumped around using my full name openly even though I know how easily it can be obtained by the “net savvy”.
OK ~ I think maybe it’s time to stop before I roll your comment section down an entire page.
~ great article ~
I blog under both my real name and my blog name. Privacy is important to me but so is taking my blog to that next level what ever that may be. Lately, I’ve spent less time promoting my personal blog than my positive blog.
Helpful post and links. I’ve already made the decision – now, it’s time to start pondering the implications.
I did a search on Google just last night and was surprised to find that private messages in shoutboxes are indexed! Luckily my private messages on BlogCatalog are done so mainly to point out errors on a blog to avoid any ‘embarrassment’ the author might feel! Also comments you leave on other blogs and in discussions are listed. So just be aware of that also.
I think if you have a business blog and use your name, then use the profiles and About Me features to tie it back to your Professional website or business.
Looking forward to your next post. Thanks.
Steve’s remark about breadcrumbs reminds me of the fact that others can expose your personal information. My previous employer kept a membership roster online for an employee club. I found out they exposed my home address, phone # and email address! I had left a quote request on a contractor’s online form and he replied saying his office was not close to my home— What? He had googled my email address which I gave in the form! How much is your stumble, blogger or other online profile revealing to the really industrious ’stalker?’
Its good idea to use real name while bloging, but i think it’s too early for me to think about this stuff! I have still long way to go i guess!
“harassment and stalking and criminal threats made by internet trolls.”
I am more worried about the identity theft issue. I have my 2nd amendment rights to take care of any trolls who would be foolish enough to stalk me and threaten my family.
I am concerned about my family when it comes to using my anonymity.
I am able to protect myself and my online identity. but i cannot control what nuts might do to my family.
After having a commenter claim he was finding my identity, and notifying hate groups in my community(which i am sure was a bluff) I had to consider the protection of those i love. I will not use my full name on a blog.
TT:
You’ve done it again..That is another great post . I would agree that revealing you ID might depends on what you are talking about. Some might not want a photo publicity and some just want to protect themselves from spamming as you said and salescalls. Also there a piece in today’s NYTimes relating to this topic click here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/15/technology/15law.html?ex=1373860800&en=15bbdd45207b2e16&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
The best reason I know to blog pseudonymously is that it frees you to speak truths you might not otherwise dare, either for fear of emotional exposure or social and political exposure. In this way, pseudonymous bloggers (which for a long time included most of the bloggers who could have been said to have changed the world) are similar to the pamphleteers of the 17th and 18th Centuries who changed the world in their time.
Think of Jonathan Swift. He’d have been a great blogger, and he had many identities.
“Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.”
– Oscar Wilde
What about content theft? No protection from it.
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timethief’s reply
Content theft is a perpetual problem experienced by both those who blog under their own manes or under a pseudonym. In both cases you have to prove that you are the original creator to have the stolen content taken down by the thief via a DMCA complaint to the web host concerned.
The strategies and process for dealing with content theft is found here:
Slpog Off! Dealing with Content Theft
Take note that you own what you create and that copyright notices are not a legal requirement. Further information on copyright is found in these posts:
What is copyright?
What to do about copyright
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Hi, TimeTheif! Glad the BC blog piece was of help, and thanks for including the excerpt. I blog under my own name because I publish non-blog writing under my own name, too. But it certainly wasn’t without thought about the pros and cons. I appreciate that you’re spreading the word on this topic. I’d much rather see folks safe, than looking back with regrets later, about how problems could have been avoided. Cheers!
Certainly if you are posting under a pseudonym to harass and post slanderous material it is problematic. Some people also feel it is a matter of authority, depending on what you post about, your authority on the subject is more often questioned if you don’t use your real name.
From high school until a year or so ago I had a variety of names from purpleknot to Alice, which is what some of my original blog readers still call me. I had virtually no information about myself on my about page at all.
There really is cause for concern about stalking for some, and I also am pretty sure people on all sites, even blog catalog, are constantly looking up peoples names and searching out information on them.
I use a variant of my real name on all my social network sites, and as my fathers name is my legal name and I use my mothers it makes it harder for people to trace me should they have nefarious intentions. i GET EMAILS ALL THE TIME ASKING ME EXACTLY WHERE I GO TO SCHOOL WHERE i LIVE
I use “cooper” now because that is what I am called by my friend and it is part of my legal name in some form.
My grad school found my blog wheN I was not posting under my real name so I really don’t think it makes a difference. I think no matter what you write you have to be aware that you may not be as invisible as you think.
This is something I’ve gone back and forth on. At first I was all in favor of pseudonym blogging – if for no other reason than privacy concerns. However, I soon realized that I wanted people to know who I was, I wanted to be able to be easily found by people who knew me, and I wanted my thoughts/work/intellectual capital to belong to me and me alone.
In other words, I’ve gone to the “real name” style of blogging. That being said I don’t blog about controversial things, so all that appears under my name is information related to my niche.
Forums and other social-interraction places where I may make comments about less-than-glamorous activities I do under a pseudonym.
Of course (and you’ll love this), my mother is a librarian who constantly searches to see what there is about me on the net – so I’m always hearing grief when something bizarre comes back to me. :)
Thankfully, there’s no shortage of weird people with my name and handle.
@Jennifer
You have said: “How much identifiable information do I want out there, especially given the topics I blog about? And is it too late now?”
It’s not too late to switch to blogging under a pseudonym, however, what you have already published is found in Google’s cache. If you delete pages and they produce a “404″ not found message when the url is clicked, then you can have the page removed from Google’s cache. Here is the link to a post that explains how to do that http://onecoolsite.wordpress.com/2008/03/21/how-to-remove-data-from-googles-cache/
@damien
You have said: “Another time it’s sensible is when you have a name that people know and then it can bring you traffic.”
I do agree with you that when a blogger has built a brand and cachet by using either their real name or their business name then the name used can bring you traffic.
@udkl
It’s great to hear that my posts are inspiring you. Thanks for telling me so. Best wishes for becoming a better blogger. :)
@Steve Rebooted
I did the same thing. I began by blogging under my own name. I posted a photo of myself. I provided my location and posted an email address that was not encrypted. The results were awful.
(1) Trolls used both my blog comments and my email address to harass me.
(2) Spam bots crawled my unencrypted email address and spammed me.
(3) I was also stalked, almost to my doorstep, even though I live in a semi-remote location that’s both expensive and hard to get to.
The experience and the knowledge I gained from that faulty beginning led me to choose to blog under a pseudonym, create separate email addresses for my blogs, and to display only encrypted email addresses on my blogs.
@cb
“I write about my work and I don’t want my ‘real identity’ to be widely known or for people I work with to know that it’s me that’s writing.”
In your case I think that blogging under a pseudonym, being cautious about identifying your self in your writing and also having a separate email address for your blog makes sense. Thanks for sharing your experience by commenting.
Best wishes for better blogging.
@Rebecca
Thanks for sharing your experience and your insight. When we blog under our real names we are operating on trust alone. That means we are opening ourselves to the possible scenarios that you have noted above and to those in the blog post. Frankly, unless one is a professional looking to establish cachet or a business blogger building a brand I cannot see any advantage in doing so.
Best wishes for better blogging.
@proofpositivity
Thanks for sharing your situation of blogging under both. I appreciate the visit and your comment. :)
@shoreacres
I’m happy to hear that my post has helped you make your decision. Best wishes for happy blogging. :)
You have outdone yourself once again.
I use an alias to protect both the ones that I love, and myself.
Many movie stars, great authors, etc., use an alias, so WHEN I reach stardom status, I don’t see it hurting in anyway. ; )
Best Wishes, and great success!
I blog under one but I just took a top bloggers name and made it better
I have a friend who was (probably rightly, given some of what I saw) paranoid about people figuring out who she was and where she was; it didn’t exactly help that half the people on her forum were always bugging her about it because she was so determined to cover her tracks.
I’ve never been quite so twitchy about it. I figure I’m going to get published under my real name eventually, so I may as well not hide it–but at the same time my blog and all my promotional stuff are all under my screenname because that’s how the people from most of the forums I’ve been on know me, and it’s closer to branding for me.
@SBA
“I think if you have a business blog and use your name, then use the profiles and About Me features to tie it back to your Professional website or business.”
“How much is your stumble, blogger or other online profile revealing to the really industrious ’stalker?’”
Thanks for both of your comments and the astute observations as well. They are much appreciated. :)
I choose anonymity for safety. I used my real name on the world wide web before and it attracted far too many crazies for my liking.
@saaraan
Thanks for reading my post and leaving a comment.
@totaltransformation
I am concerned about the identity theft issue too. Here’s an example of something I consider to be invasive. When Facebook came out with Beacon, it created somewhat of an uproar once people realized just how much of their personal information was being relayed to others. Some Facebook users were not bothered by it but a lot of them were not so happy. Even the bothered users continued to use Facebook despite their concerns because they had so much time invested in it and did not want to lose their network.
A new plug-in was developed that will help counteract the collection and sale of personal information. This free plug-in is a toolbar that will allow users several different options to monitor and delete Cookies, offline content and track visits to Facebook Beacon collaborator companies. http://flugpo-blog.blogspot.com/2008/04/flugpo-sponsors-plug-in-that-protects.html
There is a group on Facebook called MyDataIsMyData and there are already almost 200 people in the group. It looks like a lot of people are happy to have this new option ie. to keep chosen information private.
Did you know that Facebook still has all the data that you give them on their servers even after your account is “inactive”. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/7375772.stm
Before de-activating your Facebook account, remove all photos, school history, employment history, all of the “About Me” profile type type information like interests, favorite movies, books, music, etc as well as hometown, country, political views, religious views, groups and all contact details.
@Chris
“I am concerned about my family when it comes to using my anonymity. I am able to protect myself and my online identity, but i cannot control what nuts might do to my family.”
I also have a personal blog and I asked my family members and close friends how they would feel about me writing about them in it. They all gave me the thumbs down on writing about them and I have respected that.
@Mak Ossa
Thanks so much for commenting and thanks especially for the link to the New York Times article. I incorporated it into the blog post in order to bring it to everyone’s attention. Best wishes for better blogging. :)
@raincoaster
“The best reason I know to blog pseudonymously is that it frees you to speak truths you might not otherwise dare, either for fear of emotional exposure or social and political exposure.”
That’s an excellent reason. Thanks so much for sharing it.
I’m a big fan of Jenn Thorsen, but I have to take issue with her suggestion (quoted above) that there are somehow two separate “worlds” in play. When we choose to blog, we choose to enter a public forum. Try to imagine offering to teach a class at your local park district, then showing up and telling students they could call you KnittinChik because you didn’t use your real name in public forums! I never gave any thought to whether or not to use my real name when blogging because I’ve always used my real name in journalism and as a public speaker, and don’t really see much difference.
I don’t blog under my own name for a number of reasons. One of which that hasn’t been mentioned is that it adds an air of mystery about my blog. Besides, it’s a blog of wild fabrications and outright lies, would you believe me if I did use my real name?
@Jenn
Thanks for the encouragement and support. :)
@Cooper
“I think no matter what you write you have to be aware that you may not be as invisible as you think.”
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and advice with us.
@Kdawg68
“At first I was all in favor of pseudonym blogging – if for no other reason than privacy concerns. However, I soon realized that I wanted people to know who I was, I wanted to be able to be easily found by people who knew me, and I wanted my thoughts/work/intellectual capital to belong to me and me alone.
In other words, I’ve gone to the “real name” style of blogging. That being said I don’t blog about controversial things, so all that appears under my name is information related to my niche.”
The choice you have made makes perfect sense to me. Thanks for the visit and the comment. :)
@searchingwithin
I agree that after you become a star you can easily drop the alias and be no worse off for it. May your star shine brightly through the cloud cover. lol ;)
@Chris
That was a clever move. ;)
@ravyn
What you said about your screen name and branding make sense to me. Best wishes for better blogging.
@Jane Q Citizen
“I choose anonymity for safety. I used my real name on the world wide web before and it attracted far too many crazies for my liking.”
Same here. Although I know that blogging under a pseudonym does not make me invulnerable, at least it’s a barrier. Best wishes for better blogging. :)
I blog under a pseudonym for a few reasons. I don’t really think it is important for a person to know who I am to get something out of what I am writing — I write my thoughts on issues, what is going on in society, and occasionally general things going on in my life. I also sometimes rant about things going on in my job. Doing this got me a visit to the bosses office after a student found my blog and saw an image of me and figured out that it was me. Nothing bad happened to me, but I would rather they not be able to read if I am writing things about my situation. Since that point, I have started a different blog, and am writing a bit less that can identify me and my work place, though I still do have some rants at times over things that are done there that are not acceptable.
Plus, I like the bit of mystery that it lends. Almost like I can be more free because people do not know who I am (except my family and friends).
@renalfailure
I love your blog of wild fabrications and outright lies and the mystery of not knowing your name “fits” so well. ;)
@Tiffany
“I never gave any thought to whether or not to use my real name when blogging because I’ve always used my real name in journalism and as a public speaker, and don’t really see much difference.”
Your decision makes sense to me and it doesn’t differ from many others I have heard. Best wishes for your writing and all for else that you do. :)
a.eye
I agree that if you want to rant about your job, boss, students or co-workers in your blog that choosing to blog under a pseudonym is a wise choice. However, still be cautious because we all still leave digital breadcrumb trails. Thanks for commenting. :)
I don’t blog anonymously because I began blogging for professional purposes. I began to expand that, but I stayed under my real name. But I am more careful about what I post—also what I stumble, bookmark socially, etc.
Once I was naive and now my name is splattered all over the internet with derogatory terms attached to it. Threats against myself and my family members, including minor children, were also published. I still choose to share my ideas and strong feelings about things but I will never again give someone the chance to stalk me and harass me. Getting your life back is too hard.
If I was blogging professionally, I would definably use my real name. Seems more clean cut that way. I don’t know that using “Chica” at a professional site would be good for business anyways.
I blog pretty much everything in my personal blog. Whether there are bad consequences from that, I’ll never know, and I’ll “own it” either way.
Great post yet again! :)
@Mark
Thanks for reading and for commenting too. As you are a professional I understand why you made the choice you did. Best wishes to you for happy blogging. :)
@exposingtheplayers
IMHO you said it all when you said: “I still choose to share my ideas and strong feelings about things but I will never again give someone the chance to stalk me and harass me. Getting your life back is too hard.”
Happy blogging :)
@Chica
I’m glad you found the post interesting enough to think about and to comment on. Thanks for sharing. :)
You know putting aside how much I actually used to hate you from Blogcatalog I have to say that I’m wrong and will say that I do admire you.As far as the topic I use my name and don’t worry about security etc but if I was a women I would and have a private whois and all that.For the last few weeks I have taken a closer look at you and come to realize that you really are a great person and try so much to help people.Thanks
@John Sullivan
I really don’t know how to reply. I’m sorry to hear you hated me before :( I’m glad you admire me now :)
I do like to help people and I do help everyone who asks.
ill sure be back for more
Thank you timethief. Was a theme I have been thinking about. About 4-5 months ago I started social networking and my blogging. I always used my real name, since I do it for professional purposes. I think, I had nothing to cover or hide or be ashamed of. But I was thnking of giving away my identity, is that right or wrong? Reading your post I understood that there could be different approaches. Again thanks for your post. I will bookmark your blog in my social sites. Many things to learn here. Including the links you provided.
ohhh…i’m using my real name. hope it doesnt couse me too much trouble
In most cases using your actual name is not a problem.
I use my real name, Robert Stanley and its fairly safe. There are tens of thousands of people with the exact same name. I think I am at greater risk using my credit card in a cafe…
I’m laughing because you’re right. :D
I don’t have much to worry about. I use my real name, show my face, but don’t give away too much about myself, or any contact info/address (not that anyone will travel here just to threaten me or anything).
It’s pretty safe, blogging in English in an island where most of the few serious bloggers use Spanish, the native language, and where those who enjoy reading local blogs won’t bother with English.
Also, who’d want to stalk me? :P
Thanks for reading my post and for commenting too. I’m glad to hear you are pleased with your choice. :)