BLOGS: A Place for FREEDOM of Speech ..OR...

[Strappie]

Originally Posted by Venus007

I work in education and health care and I find that blogging is a great tool for networking. I use my professional blog on health care to promote my services and knowledge as well as to chime in on current events. I cannot blog about education as my employer would fire me. Part of my employment agreement was that I would not provide or keep or what have you an education related blog, it is grounds for termination.

All that being said in general people are foolish, and people under the somewhat thin veil of anonymity are super foolish. They forget that their words do not go away, they forget what they wrote a looonnngg time ago, they forget so many things.

Every employer I have had in the last 10 years has done an internet search on me (I am pretty lucky in that I have an amazingly common name and so I am a bit of a needle in a hay stack). My employers have checked my facebook page, myspace, linkedin, etc. I am very aware of my public image online as it effects my professional life. I think more and more everyone has to be.

I think Blogs can be an amazing tool for people if done correctly. But in so many cases it's just a forum for Trash talking and Bashing in heads.

I agree with you 100% that people need to put themselves in check. I don't really think the majority of people would speak exactly like they do on line. We do hide behind a screen so it's easier to speak more openly, but not at the cost of others. Hell I am one that sometimes gets ahead of myself.

Good post!!