Watch what you post...

sthrnwriter

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because this kid didn't.

TAVARES, Fla. - An 18-year-old passenger who caused a fatal crash by pulling on the steering wheel pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter after prosecutors discovered a confession on his online blog.

Blake Ranking wrote "I did it" on his blurty.com journal three days after the October 2004 crash that caused a friend's death and left another seriously injured. He had previously told investigators he remembered nothing of the crash and little of its aftermath.
 

Dawno

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That's good advice no matter what you're writing about in your blog. Sometimes I wonder if people truly realize that the internet is wide open and anyone anywhere can read what they say. Stories about employees writing about their employers, nannies about the family they work for...If you put it out there you need to be ready for the consequences.
 
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Is it okay to kill someone as long as you don't publicise a blogfession?
 

Dawno

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Yes, but I think it goes a tad beyond the accepted definition of "prank."

May I now suggest to the two of us that we let the topic get back on track? :)

(yes, I have to mod myself sometimes, I know I'm terrible about going OT)
 
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Of course, yes.

I keep a diary, or at least I will when 26th December comes; for some reason my 2006 diary starts on 26/12/05. That will be what's in my head. Even my blog, although sometimes revealing, isn't a confessional. I was thinking about autobiographies the other day. I could never write mine as I would want to be 100% honest and too many people would be hurt that way.

That's not to say I'm not honest with my blog. I am. I just don't say things like "I hear X was having an affair with Y today - Z told me and swore me to secrecy."

It wouldn't mean anything to the world at large, but the people involved would be publicly embarrassed. Therefore, I refrain from posting things about my life that would unnecessarily cause hurt to my friends.

I have never killed anyone, by the way.
 

sthrnwriter

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Stories about employees writing about their employers, nannies about the family they work for...If you put it out there you need to be ready for the consequences.

Some employers are starting to add clauses to contracts and develop policies to prevent employees of doing that now. Though I'm not sure how effective that'll be.
 

jessicakes

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My boss reads my blog. And so do a bunch of other people at my work. I'm vewwy, vewwy careful with what I put in it.

It's kind of crappy, in a way. Back when I was blogging anonymously I felt a lot more creative and free. But eventually I shuttered that site, because it's just not safe to have your uncensored thoughts floating around.
 

Richard

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Basic rule of Blogging: Never say anything you wouldn't say in the presence of friends, family, co-workers and employees.
 

Paint

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I invited everybody, friends, you guys, boss, family, business all that to view my blog. Therefore I try not post anything hurtful towards one person. However I find it to be a wonderful soapbox for my thoughts on social issues. Just a teensy way I might make a difference.

I invited my mom to view it with a disclaimer and she opted not to. Just as well I am sure as we do often disagree on social issues. Also I have posted poetry from childhood memories some of it not too nice.
But why hurt individuals? I would hope I could confront them face to face. If not, then I need more work on my issues.
Paint
 

ProsperitySue

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It does sound like that boy wanted to be caught.

We can create an anonymous blog. I use blogger and the directions say we could create a separate blogger account and give whatever name we want. I suppose a hacker would know how to go behind the scenes and find out information about the person.

If an anonymous blogger admitted to a crime, I wonder if blogger would give the authorities the info? I suppose so. It's not the same as the google-feds issue.

I know what you mean about people saying anything -- I saw a blog where a guy was talking about his girl friends and being attracted to other women -- and then wondering why he had trouble with his girl friends!
 

veinglory

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I think that to write freely you need to have an anonymous blog (not about crimes I mean, the cops can still trace you).

I use my pseudonym for pretty much all my online stuff, it's not impossible to work out who I really am but it's difficult enough that the girls I share an office with are unlikely to ever stumble across stuff I am blogging by accident.

I also hope it will help if I ever get a psycho-mad-writer on my tail after I negative book review ;)