<p>Just came home from a business trip and discovered that my S has created and is posting to a blog. His computer hasn't been connecting to the internet lately and when I when to look for a different url in history the url to his blog was there.</p>
<p>Out of touch parent question: is it poor form to read your child's blog? I realize he can't have an expectation of privacy for what's published publicly on the internet, but...</p>
<p>Hah! There is no such thing as "privacy" on the internet. Tough break. My daughter was horified that I even knew about MySpace or Xanga. </p>
<p>Don't put anything on the net you don't want your mother to see. </p>
<p>You can quote me on that.</p>
<p>P.S. I google her boyfriends too.</p>
<p>I don't think it's poor form to read your kid's blog... I mean, if they put it on the internet, they can't expect to keep it secret from anyone. At the same time, just to avoid any major confrontations if you ever need to bring up something your kid's written in his/her blog, at least let them know now that you know it's out there and you occasionally read it. You know, just so they're not surprised in six months when you come to them and say, "I'm a little worried about what you wrote yesterday, Johnny..."</p>
<p>... for the record, I actually write my blog for the express purpose of letting my parents know what I'm up to. Since we're on opposite coasts and have whacky enough schedules that it makes it hard for me to call regularly, it's a good way to keep them updated :-P</p>
<p>"P.S. I google her boyfriends too."</p>
<p>Yep, one of the other links turned out to be his girl friend's blog.</p>
<p>If they don't want you to read it they can make it "friends-only", as in you (or your secret online identity...) would have to ask (through the website) to get their permission before you could read what they write.</p>
<p>you sneaky parents can't get on thefacebook though... err, unless you have a college email address. =P</p>
<p>I write my blog to let my friends read funny news stories they wouldn't have otherwise found, and to ramble about politics and current events, as that is what interests me.</p>
<p>"P.S. I google her boyfriends too."</p>
<p>that made me chuckle =P</p>
<p>Just ask if he cares. Although my parents know about my blog, I know that if I keep in touch with them, they won't go reading it for entertainment. (Not that I post anything there that's even mildly entertaining :-) )<br>
Blogs are great to help keep up with friends from high school, so don't sabotage those efforts, but be honest about whether you read or not.</p>
<p>How do you feel about reading someone's diary? It's essentially the equivalent of that. Kids posting entries about their boring little high school lives ;-) and opening them to the world to see. Only, we expect only our friends to read it and end up with much more of a vivid audience.</p>
<p>I have a blog, and when I found out my parents were reading it (I have a tracker on the link, and they clicked it at least twice a day) I was furious. </p>
<p>I use my blog to keep up with old friends, and let them know what's going on with my life. There wasn't really anything I was hiding from my parents, but it just wasn't meant for them. My mom and I went to counseling last summer as we were having a lot of communication/trust issues, and so we've learned to communicate better. I wrote my mom a letter telling her how I felt my privacy was being invaded since I had no control at all over it, and she understood. We now have an agreement that when she wants to know what's happening in my life, she will call or email and I will tell her everything. </p>
<p>Knowing what's happening and communication with your children should come from both sides. Reading a blog is very invasive. I doubt you'd want your child reading your diary or sent emails or going through drawers. Be respectful and have a discussion with them about wanting to know what happens with their lives while still respecting their privacy.</p>
<p>The title of this thread is a contradiction in terms. Blog = No Privacy. Privacy = No Blog.</p>
<p>Anyone who is offended when someone reads their blog apparently doesn't understand the concept of a blog. A diary is a private book you keep closed and tucked away in your room. A blog is an open book that you post in a PUBLIC forum where a billion people, including your parents, have instant easy access to it. </p>
<p>If you don't want the public reading your stuff, don't put it out there for them. A person saying "How dare you read my blog?" is like a naked person appearing on TV and then saying "How dare you look at me naked?" to anyone who watched the show.</p>
<p>If you just want to communicate in private to a group of friends, create an e-mail distribution list.</p>
<p>coureur: A person saying "How dare you read my blog?" is like a naked person appearing on TV and then saying "How dare you look at me naked?" to anyone who watched the show.</p>
<p>LOL! So true.</p>
<p>I REALLY disagree with you, coureur and momof2inca. I have a blog, but I would NEVER want my mom to read it... I don't mind when strangers read it, actually I quite enjoy it.
A blog IS a type of diary - a diary that you let strangers read. It's like putting a mask on and finding random people on the street and giving them your diary to read. You don't mind because they don't know who you are. If I had my mask on and saw my mom on the street, I would never go up to her and give her my diary to read. I just wouldn't.
Besides, if all you moms don't believe blogs are a type of private journal, why don't you tell your sons/daughters you're reading their blogs?? After all, if it's not a diary, there's no privacy to invade.</p>
<p>It's thru such blogs that parents often learn that the child is cutting, drinks to excess, or has an eating disorder. I've known kids who tell a friend's parent out of concern. Statements of self harm or thoughts of violence to others ought to be a cause of alarm. I don't think parents snoop around a child's room or computer unless they sense trouble and haven't been able to discuss with child. IMHO</p>
<p>If they sense trouble, they should TALK to their child, not snoop around! Geez! Invading a troubled teen's privacy is detrimental, not beneficial.
If you're a parent, and the first notion you get upon suspecting your child is in trouble is to read their blog, diary or even go through their stuff, ask yourself why it didnt cross your mind to speak to him/her first.</p>
<p>hehe...once you're a parent, you'll know why a parent would want to read a blog. I do talk to my kids, but sometime they feel that every question that I ask (including "how was your day?") is invasive. Actually, I'm just making conversation, but they jump to conclusions about my motives.</p>
<p>There is no way that a blog is private. The internet is not private. When I am at work, all of my emails are subject to being read by someone in the IT department. I don't know if they read them or not, but I have to assume that they do and conduct my business accordingly.</p>
<p>I haven't felt much need to check up on my kids via the computer, but if I thought that there was any kind of trouble, I wouldn't hesitate to use any and all means to find out what was going on in their lives.</p>
<p>If you have a blog and don't specify it as a "friends only" you are leaving an open book on the table for anyone to read. So parents - if you find out your kid has a blog - as a parent you have a right almost an obligation to read it.
Kids - we read your blogs not because we don't trust you - it's because we love you and care about you. I know - hard to understand now - but one day you will.</p>
<p>You most certainly DO NOT have an "obligation" to read it. Thank God my mother isn't like you, otherwise I'd go crazy. I can't believe some parents actually think that.</p>
<p>They're written for teens, by teens. My "blog" is out there and is occasionally read by people, but it just isn't for my parents. I've told them as much, and they agree with me.</p>
<p>That being said, I don't hide anything, and would not be ashamed or embarassed if they read what I post (publicly). But it IS an invasion of privacy.</p>
<p>Why? Because the child isn't trying to broadcast, they're just trying to stay open. Public posts and journals encourage communication and meeting new people with greater ease. With it comes the "risk" of detection or unwanted readers - but Please, if your child wishes to keep something secret from you, even if it's hidden in plain sight, respect them. There are ways to be a good parent without having to open up the question of trust and privacy.</p>
<p>I have to disagree with the people who say that blogs are not for parents to read. Anything on posted on the internet is public record. If you do not want your parents reading it, then don't post it on a blog!
If something is on the internet it is not an invasion of privacy to read it. It is an invasion of privacy to try to crack a code to get into the blog, but if the blog has no restrictions on it then it is open to anyone.
An invasion of privacy is reading your kids mail or listening in on phone calls, but reading an online blog, sorry - that doesn't fall into the same category.</p>
<p>If you found out about your child's blog by snooping around in the history file, that's the same as cracking a code to try get into the blog. If your child didn't invite you to read it, then it's private.
Let's say your child left his/her (lock-less) diary on the dining room table. If opening the diary doesn't involve breaking open a lock, would you not consider it an invasion of privacy?
It's the same thing.</p>
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<blockquote> <p>I can't believe some parents actually think that.<<</p> </blockquote>
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<p>It's incredible to think that something openly posted in front of a billion people is somehow "private". I can't believe that some students actually think that.</p>