Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Hi, STEPH

I'd like to address a comment I received from "STEPH" on my post about my blog going private. I'm addressing this publicly instead of just commenting on her comment in case any of you other readers who never comment feel this way.

STEPH,

I am not, in any way, playing the victim here. I'm sorry that you feel that way but you've got the wrong idea. I realize I put my blog out there. It's linked in my signature on The Bump and The Nest. I also did a guest blog for newparent.com and my blog is linked on there. I never, ever tried to "hide" my blog from people reading it, nor did I EVER say that I did. As I believe I stated in my post, I was super excited when I first saw that so many people were reading it. But, the fact that I put my blog out there originally does not mean, in any remote way, that I can't decide that I am uncomfortable with who is viewing it NOW and decide to make it private. Understand?

When I started my blog, I didn't have a kid. When I had my kid, I still wanted people to be able to read it and tried to know who was reading it the best I could by encouraging comments and asking people who followed my blog to let me know who they were. When I added the feedtracker to my blog and realized that there were people coming from all over the world looking at the blog who were never commenting and I had no idea who they were, I decided it was better for my family to take the blog private. Before doing this, I added a NUMBER of security measures to protect my information and my pictures and my child while still allowing whoever wanted to read the blog to read it. Then, I decided that wasn't enough.

Playing the victim? Hardly. I'm pretty sure I'm allowed to say that it's sad or unfortunate that I have to take the blog private because there are creepy people out there. Don't you think it's sad that there are people who steal other's pictures and make up their lives? Don't you think it's sad that there are child molesters out there who might use pictures of children on blogs for disgusting purposes? I know I do. I never said I was a victim in this, I never said I didn't try to make my blog publicly accessible and put it out there. However, none of those things take away my right to make this blog private when I decide it's necessary.

5 comments:

Amber said...

Well said, Lauren! Playing a victim?? Not at all. Viewing someones personal life through a blog is a privilege. Taking yourself out of the public eye is your right, especially when there is a baby involved.

stephanie said...

Ha, well I am sorry you got so flustered. I think thats great if you want to make your blog private, I am pretty sure I did not say anything about you not having the right to do that. It just had seemed like all your comments leading up to this decision you were so baffled that people from all over were visiting your blog. I did not mean for your followers to start a rally in support of you because I may have some how insulted you, sorry about that.

YaYa said...

Lauren, don't ever worry about people like that. I totally think you are right taking your blog private. Unfortunately there are a lot of sickos out there and you don't deserve or need the negativity. Keep up the good work.

Timeteo said...

Rally in support? Geez Steph, instead of playing a victim, you should probably take responsibility for the fact you acted like a complete condescending smart ass on a persons blog that you have never interacted with. I mean, more power to you for choosing to take a stand against women who decide to take their blogs private. Try not to be so baffled next time people take up for their friends.

Ashley said...

Lauren,
I'm completely on board with your decision. I would even understand if you didn't allow access to people you don't know personally--even if that meant I couldn't read your blog.
Steph--I don't think you quite understand what Lauren is saying. She is not baffled as to where the readers came from, she's just choosing now to not allow random people she's never had any contact with continue to read her blog, see pictures of her child, and comment. Not so difficult to understand. She put links in her sig on TheNest and TheBump because she has some sort of relationship or commaradarie with the ladies on those message boards. Now that she is seeing other people she has no connection to at all reading, she wants to protect her family.