Safely Blogging Along

The Wonderful World of Blogging!

One of my greatest hesitations about blogging was security and safety. So many fail to realize that when one blogs, the information is out for EVERYONE to see as a general rule. That can be great and that can be HORRIBLE! Since I work daily to help people protect ideas and my father was a police officer, I thought I would make one of my first blogs about "Blogging Safety." Safety from a personal standpoint and an intellectual property standpoint.

1) Publication. Bloggers and Comment Posters need to realize that generally everything is open to the world. If one is sharing an idea, adding to an idea, sharing a technique, showing artwork, etc., the time will start "ticking" for any registration.

2) Connecting The Dots. It is very easy for someone to connect the dots on the Internet these days. Even if one does not post his or her hometown or contact information, sometimes with an accumulation of information, it is as if you posted your full name, address, phone and the like. Remember, most people think nothing of information and love learning the small stuff about someone. Some people will take the small stuff to do big things. Not only from a personal safety issue, but the same is true in regards to trade secrets, marketing, etc.

3) Register It! If one posts something on a blog and would be furious if someone took it or copied it, then it should be registered. I can guarantee you that once a month I will be registering my blogs as a collection with the US Copyright Office. Patentable ideas, processes, and the like are even more dangerous to post without first registering.

4) Be Kind! This is from a business perspective, when it goes into the written word - it could come back and bite you. If you are talking about a product or a person and it is not complimentary - I highly suggest you avoid it. It could come back to get you. There are varying laws for slander, defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and the like. There is the 1st Amendment in the US, but commercial speech does not fall under the biggest blanket of protection.

5) Watch the Use of Names. I know this sounds like a safety issue, but it can also be an endorsement issue and Right of Publicity Issue. Therefore, get permission before you use someones full name or a products full name if you are going to do more than mention it in passing, discuss it and/or its features, etc.

This list is not comprehensive, but it is "food for thought." The greatest tip I can give is:

WHEN IN DOUBT - LEAVE IT OUT!

Therefore friends - go forth and blog...blog...blog!

Have a great week and enjoy!
Create with your heart and your head!
Tammy