Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Anonymity, like innocence, never lasts

This week in the world of PR, my employer is facing a certain challenge with which I have to deal. Today, word of this challenge has spread so far that I just fielded an annoying phone call from some radio dj in another part of the state, making fun of our explanation for what we did.

Of course, this is a useless blog-post since I can't get any more specific, although it would be so cathartic to do so. I've blogged long enough now, about enough things, that anybody with the desire to do so could probably figure out exactly who I am and where I live and where I work.

I think that's inevitable if one blogs long enough. If you mention local events, someone can do a newssearch. If you mention what you do for a living, they can narrow down the possibilities of your employer.

And then, repercussions could follow.

Those of us who are grownups might get fired, or depending on our blog content, get cut out of the family inheritance or lose a relationship. For young folk or people living alone, actual physical danger might result.

12 comments:

Jessica said...

Oh I do understand what you mean!!
But all in all, school PR is pretty wonderful. I often wish my blog was more private, that I hadn't told so many secrets, so on days when I'm going just a little bit off my rocker, I could vent, really and truly vent. Instead, I head to DSW on Shoesdays...

Lizzy Dizzy said...

WOW I have been told a thousand times to be careful on what you put on line because you may be putting your life in danger and that't not good especailly if you are a girl its very dangerous for us gals to put things on line. We had this band play at my school yesterday they were good the name of the band is colors in the air. they were very good I liked them three of them graduated from my high school two years ago, the guys in the band are also very cute

Eastcoastdweller said...

Jessica, You are right -- it seems as if my unrestrained venting days on this blog are over ... Whilst You buy shoes, I grab my shovel and go dig holes in the garden.

Lizzy: Yes, You have to be careful. For example, someone might even be able to google the name of that band that You mentioned, download their play-schedule this week and figure out what school You go to.

But not communicating at all is not the solution either.

And a blog in which a person never talked about anything that happened to them, well, what kind of blog would that be?

How did You do on that test that You were talking about?

Anonymous said...

I used to have my blog listed with my geographical region and was found and listed in the weekly round-up of local blogs in the paper! Not good. I went underground, changing urls, changing my avatar and blog name, listed myself just as being in the U.S., eliminated every mention of my first or last name. So far, so good, but who knows?

Lizzy Dizzy said...

The test was easy I go to a vocational school for Early Childhood Education and we had to come up with lesson plans in math and in science that we would teach a group of pre-K kids so it was easy I think that I passed the course for sure!!! And I never thought about the googling the band and then the play schedule for the band thanks for the heads up for next time.

Eastcoastdweller said...

Citizen: That is terrible! Seems downright unethical.

When I was younger and more foolish, I signed up for some internet international penpal thing. To this day, my full name an (thankfully old and now invalid) email address of mine and my home address show up on that site, even though I've done everything I could to get off that list.

Lizzy: Congrats on passing Your test. In regards to Internet safety, I guess the main thing is never give out your real name or any possible geographical information.

The latter, as You see, can be very hard to avoid. I wouldn't worry unnecessarily.

Janice Thomson said...

That's one thing nice about a Japanese poetry blog :) One doesn't run into as many problems.

Chase March said...

I recently saw through someone's pen name they use on their blog. I didn't mean to. I came across something in reading a book alone at home that kicked a memory and I then knew the blog was written under an alias.

I think that it doesn't matter that I know this. I will keep it to myself. People need their privacy and just becuase you find something out doesn't mean you need to trumpet it. I will stay mum.

Lizzy Dizzy said...

One more day till my B-Day i'll be 19 YAY and did you hear I am going to Cananda and then Chase plans on buying me a drink lol

Lizzy Dizzy said...

No he would never do that!!

Mimi Lenox said...

You've been tagged by Mimi Queen of Memes
BlogBlast For Peace Meme ~Join The Revolution

the walking man said...

Personally ECD, with nothing to lose of any great import, I speak as moved. If someone doesn't like it *shrug* there are worse things than dying for your beliefs. But I do realize that more and more there has to be some degree of anonymity for folks who have much to lose and it is wise to have multiple use accounts.

Peace