No, not the Hazzards of Blogging. I am pretty sure they don’t have computers in Hazzard County. I am talking about something different.
The internet is littered with news articles and blogs about bloggers whose typing fingers have landed them in hot water with their employers. It seems like even other week there is some new story about a less than wiley blogger bad-mouthing his or her boss, giving away business secrets or otherwise telling things to everyone with a computer that they probably shouldn’t. Why do people do this?
Certainly anyone who blogs must be computer savvy enough to surf the net and understand how easy it is for information to spread about the internet. Why are these bloggers then not quick enough to realise that if their mates and colleagues can read about how they skived off work to watch the cricket or the footie or whatever, that it won’t be long before someone leaves the page open on their office computer or – worse still – accidentally includes the boss on an email distribution list containing a link to that post?!?
A good rule for blogging is that if you are not comfortable with everyone in the world reading your words – don’t post it. Why is that such a hard concept to understand and live by?
I realise that my blog is hardly the most risqué – but it does what it says on the tin. I write about what I know: print design, web design and pubs and beer. (Yes, I do know about more than just those three things. Geez! Gimme a little credit!) As I work for myself, maybe I should write something a little racy about my work. Tell the world that I took a nap on Friday afternoon when my voicemail message said I was ‘in a meeting.’ Broadcast across the net that I wore gym shorts and a t-shirt for work today.
Nope, I better not say that. My boss might be reading this. Or maybe my clients might be …