Blog Away...But Blog Safely

Just as with any other online activity, blogging has risks. Protecting your identity by remaining anonymous is a smart idea. Employers often take a dim view of critical comments made by employees on personal blogs. Some bloggers have even lost their job because of comments made on blogs. The most famous case is probably Ellen Simonetti, a former Delta Airlines attendant, who was fired after Delta officials took exception to photos on her blog. She continues to write her blog (formerly known as Queen of the Sky) but now retitled Diary of a Fired Flight Attendant.

Prospective employers are now searching social networking sites, as well as blogs, for information about prospective employees. So you may not want yourself identified on your blog or MySpace page as the person doing the keg stand in the photo.

To avoid these types of issues, you may want to follow the guidelines from the Electronic Frontier Foundation on How to Blog Safely. Stay anonymous and stay employed!