Today I read an article on Yahoo! News via Consumer Reports that discussed the 7 Things to Stop Doing Now on Facebook. You can read the full explanations by clicking on the title, but in short the seven things were:
1. Using a Weak Password
2. Leaving Your Full Birth Date in Your Profile
3. Overlooking Useful Privacy Controls
4. Posting Your Child's Name in a Caption
5. Mentioning That You'll Be Away From Home
6. Letting Search Engines Find You
7. Permitting Youngsters to Use Facebook Unsupervised
When I read over these, for the most part my first reaction was DUH! And specifically #5 - it always makes me cringe when I see my friends talking about going on vacation OR mentioning that their husbands will be gone for a week. I personally think that is just a horrible idea, and evidently Yahoo! and Consumer Reports agree with me. If you read the article, it says you can mention how fun the trip was when you get back, but announcing you will be gone is like putting a no one is home sign on your door.
But here's where the Traveling Light Reader Poll comes in. The #4 thing has to do with children's names. I have never considered this being a big deal, especially on facebook since I control who sees what on that particular site. As for my blog, I have occasionally questioned if I should use my kids' names on here or not, thinking that if I don't give my specific location and do not give my last name, does it really matter?
What do you think? Do you think it's ok to use first names on your blog? What about facebook? And specifically children's names?
Last Night As Family of Five
8 years ago
11 comments:
I have a policy of not posting images of any of my friends or families kids on FB. It worries me to see some of the images they post of their own kids.
Once a photo is online all their friends can save it or pass it on. It's just too risky. The odd snap of a baby or a child is ok, but people should be careful!
I read these too! I don't allow people to see my profile unless they are friends, but you never know!
Visiting through FF!
I don't do first names of husband or baby on my blog. I do on facebook. But I have a restricted FB profile. I don't think its a huge deal since you don't put your last name on your blog. IF I could redo it, I would not put my last name on mine! Mabybe Mrs. H? Or Mrs. something else.
I recently had to put all of my FB photos on private when I saw that someone I absolutely want having NOTHING to do with my kiddos had a pic that he took from my profile up on his own profile, and as his main pic at that!! If nothing else, all the pics of kids on your profile should be set to custom view levels...it's a really terrible world, and you never know who will see that pic and make your child a target!!
I keep my profile locked down pretty darned tight. My kids all have profiles and I have all of the passwords and check out their settings, mail, etc. all the time.
I love your post!
So true about privacy and the importance. I do not think it is talked about enough!
I do not post pics of my kids on my blog or say use their names. I think this is sometimes a detriment to my blog, but it is my own convictions to keep them safe. I am anti-facebook, and have seen too many people put too much info out there for others to read and or see.
It is a scary world out there and though we have the Lord, we must still use discretion.
I have been using first names on our blog and Facebook. I have my FB privacy settings secure, but I have been thinking about our blog some. When we get a non-blogspot domain I'll probably reconsider and come up with nicknames for everyone.
I debate all the time about having pics of my kids/family on FB. I have my setting pretty tight, but everytime FB changes something, there is always an item that I have to go back and change because it has been reset and I don't think that is right. I have recently tried to remove their names from captions...but I can only do that if I have posted it. I wish there was a way to make FB even more secure, but I suppose that would be to delete it all..and I may someday.
The odd snap of a baby or a child is ok, but people should be careful!
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At the high school when we send emails we are only allowed to use the students first name and last initial or first initial and last name. So, I think if you FB is set to private and only your friends can see it....your ok. On here, if we are only seeing first names and no location...again, I think your ok.
I try not to use my son's name instead I'll use the initial, but ultimately, when writing, I tend to just type it without thinking. But, if FB is set to private and you control the settings then it shouldn't be an issue & if you worry about your FB 'friends' then the list should be looked at again. Using our common sense should fix this concern.
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