It's my blog and I'll write what I want to...

Okay, this is a heavier post, and I promise I will be back soon to post about something uplifting!!!
I just need to write about something that has been on my mind. You all know that I went private awhile back and only keep this blog open to talk about things that don't have to do with my children's lives or you know, to dish about the Bachelor! So, you can guess that I am a bit protective about my children's info, and how it is being put out there.

I feel like I always sound like the blogging police over here on this public blog of mine, but I can't help it. I guess once you have been violated through the blog world, you just can't shake that sense of wanting to protect people from going through the same thing. Anyway, I want to share something that I have not been able to stop thinking about today.

Recently a good friend of mine had another girl in her neighborhood write a blog about her own child's innocence and questions about the differences in boys and girls. I am not a prude, I think these stories are as cute as the next person, but in the story she mentioned my friend's little boy, by name, talking about his genitals. Well, a couple posts down, she has pictures of this little boy, with his name in the caption. And down from that, a very detailed paragraph about my friend's daughter, also using her name.

There is a lot of information about herself and her children, their location, where they spend their days, etc. on this blog. She also does giveaways to bring in more traffic to her online store. Basically, people from all over are checking out this blog. NOT a situation I would be comfortable with. Neither was my friend.

So, my friend very politely emailed her and asked her to remove his name. Later that day the names were changed, but at the bottom there was a snarky remark saying she had changed the names, 'not to protect the children who wouldn't care since they are toddlers, but the parent's privacy.'

Ummmmmm.............talk about missing the point. Which brings me to my point! While most 'too much sharing about someone else's child' happens in total innocence, there is also a feeling of 'it's my blog, I'll write what I want' when it comes to blogging. People have to remember that it is not their place to put information about anyone other than themselves on the net. Especially if you are soliciting strangers to come and read it. It isn't hard to say to another parent, "Hey, I got some cute pictures at so and so's birthday party, do you mind if I put them on my blog?" or "You won't believe what xxx said about xxx the other day, I want to write about it on my blog, is that alright with you?" Even in my business I have to get releases to post pictures of children on my blog so I don't get sued. Yep, sued.

I really don't want to come off as the almighty-child-protecting-blog-police-momma, (because I am SO not!) I just want to make my readers aware that care needs to be taken when blogging...and, even if you are careful about your children's information, other people may not be.

Thank you for letting me get this off my chest. I know I sound like a broken record with this blog safety thing!!

Anyone know when the next Bachelor starts up??? ;)