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3 Things Parents Need to Tell Their Blogging Teens

By Denise Witmer, About.com

So, your teen wants to be published and has chosen blogging as his media? Not a bad choice, many adults blog – myself included. Blogging is an entertaining and educational hobby. But, there are pitfalls your teen may not be aware of that you’ll need to let him/her know. Here is what to say:

  • Personal information about yourself and others needs to remain private. This not only includes your address and phone number, so that the child predators don’t get any ideas, but the secret your best friend shared with you yesterday is also off-limits.

  • Blog posts can come back to haunt you. Blogs are open for the entire world to read and the posts are going to be there for a very long time. So, not only are your high school teachers able to read it, but the information may be available to the college admissions officer who will be doing a background check on you in a couple of years. To people who don’t know you, you are what you write. Be picky about what goes in your blog.

  • Keep your password to yourself. Don’t allow anyone else to post on your blog. Log all the way out of the service when you are done. You do not want anyone posing as you and posting gossip or negative comments.

You may also want to remind your teen that you are part of the public that is capable of reading his/her blog. While you trust that he/she will be able to follow these simple requests, his/her safety is your number one responsibility.

Take our Parenting Quiz: Is your teen safe online?

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