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Technology
Links
Online Journals
What
is an Online Journal (Blog)?
It
used to be that when a person kept a diary they took pains
to keep it safe from prying eyes. Today's online journals
are like diaries that are exposed to the entire world. A
good definition of an online diary or blog is from www.matisse.net/files/glossary.htm.
"A
blog is basically a journal that is available on the web.
The activity of updating a blog is "blogging"
and someone who keeps a blog is a "blogger." Blogs
are typically updated daily using software that allows people
with little or no technical background to update and maintain
the blog. Postings on a blog are almost always arranged
in chronological order with the most recent additions featured
most prominently."
There
are also online Journals that pursue academic thought in
areas of history, economics, politics and science. Oxford
University Press has an extensive selection of this
type.
In
the online environment there is a tendency by many people
to behave differently than they would in normal face-to-face
situations. The term for this is disinhibition. People tend
to feel free to say what they would not normally say and
express themselves without inhibition. Online journals clearly
are a repository for people to express their inner most
thoughts, feelings and desires. Anyone who reads the entry
can post a response to the original message. Teens knowingly
express sexual feelings, experiences, desires, and despair
online. The more outrageous the self-expression the more
attention the teen attracts. The personal information exposed
provides a fertile hunting ground for predators. Some
blog sites give the user the opportunity to join a group.
Belonging to a specific group is another way information
may be revealed. For example, if your child belongs to the
group from your city, your child's location has been announced.
Basic
safety rules apply:
Do
not disclose any personal information (name, photograph,
phone number, address, email address)
Do
not disclose information regarding friends or family online
that could put their safety or identity at risk.
Be extremely careful about the information given out
when filling out registration information
Although,
journaling is used to express oneself, realize that predators
use what you say to gain an advantage over you - they know
much more about you, than you know about them. With this
in mind, guard the clues you give out about yourself.
