Introduction
Are you a blogger? Or are you thinking about blogging? If your answer to either question is yes, there are some issues you should think about, namely, Internet safety and personal security.
Blogging 101
For the uninitiated, a blog (short for weblog) is an online journal. There are two basic categories of blogs. Some are essentially businesses that offer regularly updated news and opinion on specific subjects, from politics, sports, and movie reviews to PC troubleshooting and travel information. Most of the blogs in this category are forums that encourage readers to post comments. or even create sub-blogs. The other category of blogs are more like personal diaries, offering an individual’s personal musings on a variety of topics, from accounts of their activities to their personal feelings. Some of these blogs allow reader comments.
75 Million Blogs and Counting
Before you start your own blog, we suggest you visit a few to get a feel of how they work. Blogs aren’t hard to find. In fact, you may find them hard to avoid. According to , there are now more than 75 million blogs on the Internet, and about 100,000 new ones are being launched each day.* You’ve probably already read a blog or two, but to explore a few more, try one of the blog search engines such as or . Both make it easy to find blogs on topics of interest to you.
Where and How to Blog
There are a number of ways to publish your own blog. You can add one to your existing Web site, create a new blog site from scratch, blog on a social networking site, or add a blog to an existing blog site. Here’s a summary of each approach:
- If you already have a Web site, the software you used to create it probably includes templates and instructions for creating, publishing, and publicizing a blog page on your existing site, or as a separate site.
- To create a blog from scratch, the easiest method is to use the services of a blog host, such as , , or . They provide the software you need to design and publish your blog, and they host it as well.
- Social networking sites, such as , provide blogging tools that allow you to publish a blog on your personal page, and they usually offer controls so you can limit who is allowed to read or post on your page.
- Some existing blog sites allow others to publish blogs or diaries on their sites. These are often sites dedicated to specific subjects like politics or technology. You can find these blogs by searching blog topics of interest to you.
The Threat of Splogs
As often happens on evolving communications technologies like the Internet, each new opportunity for communicating is accompanied by an opportunity for abuse. Blogging is no exception. Its nemesis is the splog, which you may have guessed is a combination of “spam” and “blog.” Here’s how it works:
- Sploggers use automated tools to hijack your blog or content from your blog for financial gain. They create fake blogs using names or URLs very similar to yours to generate page views that they can convert into ad revenue.
- They may steal your content to increase the number of hits on their fake blog. For instance, you write a blog about your vacation in Italy, they clip your content and get hits from people searching on “Italy.” Their fake blogs may carry legitimate ads, or scam ads dedicated to identity or financial theft.
Protection Against Splogs
Splogs are widespread and difficult to eradicate, but it is possible to minimize splogging by being vigilant. If you have your own blog, Symantec’s experts offer some excellent ways to determine whether you’re being splogged:
- Subscribe to news feeds at search engines like Technorati and . Their search engines will detect splogs lifting your content.
- Type in search terms that are similar to your name, your site's name, or your site's URL. You'll recognize a splog by the unusual number of buzzwords in the main content area, or a name or URL very similar to your own.
If you discover a splog that has hijacked your blog or stolen your content, report it to your blog host. If the splog has Google™ ads on it, report it to Google’s Adsense program.
Other Threats and Cautions
Whether you have your own blog or visit others, there are threats (and annoyances) you should be aware of and cautions you should take:
- If you’re a blogger, keep an eye on the comments others post on your blog. If they’re offensive or include links to malicious sites, use your blog application to block them, and report them to your blog host.
- If you’re blogging on a social networking site, you can password protect your blog, and invite only people you know to read and comment on the blog.
- Never post information that reveals your address (even your city), phone number, or personal financial information.
- Remember, everything you post on a blog is public information. So don’t say or show anything that you don’t want everyone to read or see. Be aware that college admissions officers and potential employers often search for blogs by applicants.
- If you’re posting comments on a blog, don’t give out your private personal information. If you have to register to post, do not give more than your name and email. A blog that asks for more may be after your personal information for malicious purposes.
- Lastly, whether you’re blogging or commenting, remember you’re on the Internet – protect yourself with Internet security software such as Norton 360™ or Norton Internet Security™ , and keep that software updated.
Blog On
With all those cautions in mind, blog on. If you have something to say to the world, a blog is a great way to say it, if you’re careful.
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hypertypos 
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