Blogs and What Parents Should Know.
by Craig
Ellison
What are Blogs?
On the
Internet, a blog (short for weblog) is a personal journal
that is frequently updated and intended for general public
consumption. Blogs generally represent the personality of the author or
reflect the purpose of the Web site that hosts the blog. Retrieved from
(http://searchwebservices.techtarget.com/)
Can Blogs be Harmful?
Yes and
No. The majority of children use blogs as a way to communicate online. The good
ole days of phone conversations are slowly diminishing. Your child might have a
blog and you wouldn’t even know it. Most blogs are innocent and no more
than an online journal. However,
many child predators use blogs as a way to find victims.
Advice about
Blogs:
Blogs
can be a great way for your teenager to communicate with their friends and
family members. Many school districts across the country are using blogs to
help improve their students writing skills. Take some time to find out if your
child has a blog and ask if you can look at it with them. As a parent, you should be concerned
about their profile and any pictures they may have posted. Almost
all blog sites allow bloggers (anyone who blogs) to have a personal profile.
Make sure they don’t have personal
addresses, school address, home numbers, or cell phone numbers listed. Many students list email addresses and IM (Instant Messenger) information in the contact
section. Also, pay attention to
people that are posting comments on your child’s blog.
Popular Blog
Sites:
blogger.com or Blogspot (Same Website)