- What’s in the background? Does the photo show
your house number, a street sign, a license plate, or
landmark? - Did you caption your photos with full names or
other identifying details? - What’s printed on your shirt? Don’t post photos that
show the name of your bowling team or crafts club. - Who’s in the picture? If it shows friends or family
members, you may be putting them at risk, too. - Can someone tell your economic status from the
photo? This may be an enticement for offline crime.
➟ Be careful about sharing your feelings if your blog is
public. You can express feelings in your blog in vari-
ous ways. The poems you select, the music you list,
and the pictures you post all tell a lot about who you
are and how you feel. This allows a predator who’s on
the hunt to find opportunities to prey on your vulner-
ability. Whether what you reveal is greed, sadness,
anger, or even happiness, there is always a scam or
exploit that can be tailored to take advantage of it.➟ Check out what your friends write about you in their
blogs. They may be giving out your address or real
name or revealing which church you go to, or perhaps
they have a photo of you on their site with a caption
indicating who you are. Any of these actions may
enable someone to find you. Check the comments
friends leave on your blog to make sure they don’t
give away personal details.➟ Be very cautious about meeting in person someone
you know only through blogging. As with online
dates, keep first meetings with blogging buddies
short, and agree to meet in a public place during a
busy time of day.169Chapter 8: Getting the Most from Social Networks and Blogging