Be Mindful of What You Write on Your Blog

[DeborahR]

Overnight news filtered through from the blogosphere that mult-national corporation Apple were successful in their bid to close the blog "Think Secret". Apple launched legal action against the blog after it revealed company secrets. The owner of Think Secret and Apple's high priced lawyers reached a confidential settlement which must have included shutting the blog down because Think Secret is no more. There is also the suggestion that Apple paid the blog owner to close the site. Bloggers all over the world are writing about the incident and most are on the side of Think Secret in this david and goliathe battle in the blogosphere.

Last month a blogger based in South Africa was fired from his job on a local paper after complaining about working conditions at the paper on his blog. There are many more examples but my point is, you have to be careful about what you write on your blog. To my knowledge, no blogs have come under fire in Australia but the day is coming I suppose.

[DeborahR]

After posting about being mindful about what you write on your blog I have received a rap over the knuckles from Centrelink for writing about them on my blog

http://www.australianwomenonline.com/?p=83

Well is my face red :blush:

I thought the information I received from the source was reliable and accurate. But apparently not, so I will have to clean up this mess before I end up in some real hot water! I will keep you updated

[katef]

Oh I am always careful what I write on my blog because my mother-in-law reads it! But that is nothing compared to this high flying corporate stuff!

I have a funny story about centrelink and 'identity' but I guess I had better not post it here either as I don't want anyone to get in trouble.. I know the owners of a parenting forum I frequent removed posts after a control crying/baby whisperer 'expert' complained that they were slanderous... I actually don't think they were, they were simply people expressing an opinion about this person's lack of actual qualifications but a big scary lawyers letter sent to someone struggling to keep a small site afloat... well I'd be pulling the posts too.. not worth the drama!

Kate

[DeborahR]

Hi Katef

I haven't received any scary threats as yet but I would remove the post if the situation gets too hot for one lone blogger to handle. I contacted the sources I quoted in the post and I am waiting for them to reply -- I will keep you informed as to any new developments.

[Stormy]

Deborah you can get around problems like that by quoting your sources....where I've used a reputable source online, I will link to them through the article so that people can see where I've gotten my information from. I've been doing tertiary study far too jolly long now - I'm at the point where I feel the need to reference my own opinion sometimes! :hehe:

Although I could use plenty of fodder from my work life in my blog I choose not to for the simple reason that confidentiality issues can be a bit hairy and I would like to largely keep my work life at work and make the blog more about me IYKWIM. Sometimes I blog about how I feel about work but ommitting the details about what exactly has made me feel the way I do about it. :)

[Riayn]

I definitely do not blog about work. It simply is not worth it. The Internet honestly is a very small place and people will find out where you blog.

[DeborahR]

Stormy I did use a reputible source in the article at http://www.australianwomenonline.com/?p=83

But I'm a bit pissed off with this source today after they ignored my requests for comment to Centrelink's reaction on my blog yesterday. How dare the Public Interest Advocacy Centre issue a statement to the press and then refuse to stand by that story when it is published! x(

[Riayn]

Stormy I did use a reputible source in the article at http://www.australianwomenonline.com/?p=83

But I'm a bit pissed off with this source today after they ignored my requests for comment to Centrelink's reaction on my blog yesterday. How dare the Public Interest Advocacy Centre issue a statement to the press and then refuse to stand by that story when it is published! x(

Deborah, just playing a bit of Devil's Advocate here, but it may be the one person who can respond is on holidays. I know in my industry most of the people I needed to talk with vanished around Wednesday and won't be seen until the middle of January.

[Stormy]

Stormy I did use a reputible source in the article at http://www.australianwomenonline.com/?p=83

But I'm a bit pissed off with this source today after they ignored my requests for comment to Centrelink's reaction on my blog yesterday. How dare the Public Interest Advocacy Centre issue a statement to the press and then refuse to stand by that story when it is published! x(

I saw that you had included the link to the PIAC but I could not find that quote on their website so I wasn't sure exactly where it had come from IYKWIM. And yes, I can understand why you would be annoyed that they have not responded as yet. The only thing I can think of is that they are on holidays like Riayn said - I know that the majority of the public liaison office at work will be on vacation until mid January. :dk: