November 18, 2010
To Password Protect or Not
It happens to every blogger. At some point, someone leaves a rude comment or even one that might be scary, and it makes you think. Am I taking unnecessary risks? Am I putting myself out there in ways that I shouldn't be? Is blogging really worth whatever risks I might be taking?
I've taken pause several times over the last almost five years of blogging. The first time came when one of my pictures was stolen by a forum rampant with pimply 12-year-olds with internet muscles. It nearly wrecked my family vacation when that happened. However, I didn't take it lying down. I fought back and eventually everything related to me was removed and I received a written apology.
I read with horror a few months ago, when a picture from Heather's blog of her deceased daughter, ended up on the computer of a child predator overseas. She was notified by authorities and it was a moment that I'm sure probably shook her to her core.
Yesterday I received a comment on my blog regarding a post I put up years ago when my self-tanner and I decided we weren't going to get along. The pictures that accompanied that post were crucial to the overall post. One picture featured the bottom of my foot, stained indefinitely with self tanner. It was a funny post and it took a lot of guts for me to even take a picture of my feet. Personally, I can't stand feet, even when they're mine. This is the comment I received on a recent post yesterday. Comments on individual posts close two weeks after the post goes live:
your feet in *that* post are great. I cant believe you blocked the comments. anyways I now added them to "collection". u should post more.
I guess I thought the person was kidding, so I joked back that I was happy to see their IP address was in the UK. The first rule of self defense, after all, is creating distance. I felt secure in that distance being a giant ocean. It's a creepy comment.
And then today, a second comment:
Do not fear woman, I actually live in the US I just use Proxies. You should be smart enough to know that what goes online stays online. I actually found the site thanks to a popular foot forum. I do offer my compliments. It is a very nice foot.
It's certainly a friendly enough comment, but it gave me pause. First, my picture (or I should say, another one of my pictures) has been added to a site without my approval. Second, the distance that I took comfort in before, is no longer there. Third, Hannibal Lecter was kind of charming in a polite but scary kind of way too. It is a stark reminder for me, that not all those who frequent this website are here because they are interested in me, my life or my writing. Not all are here because we've bonded through martial arts, raising daughters, or going through a torn ACL. Some readers are just interested in pictures of my feet, maybe my face, or God forbid, the rare picture that I post of one of my children.
So what's a blogger to do? Heather installed a Word Press plug-in that I really wish my blogging platform would offer. Perhaps a transfer to a blogging platform that allows me to do this is in order. However, moving almost 1000 posts from one site to another seems daunting and overwhelming. How does one even do that?
There's also the option of password protecting my entire site. However, how does one manage the permissions? What if some crazy person has been pretending to be a nice little reader all along when in reality they have a bulletin board of pictures of me somewhere in a dark closet? I'd also be giving up the ad revenue that this site generates. Although it's not much, it is something and it does help our family.
Perhaps I should relax a bit. When I told Mr. BBM over the phone about the comments, he laughed hysterically. "It's not funny!" I told him. "What do you think these people are DOING with that picture of my foot?" He got quiet then too; but then reassured me that it was simply a picture of my foot. Maybe I should relax about it a bit.
But then again, it's a picture of one of my body parts and it's been used without my permission, on a website forum where I would never frequent. It feels dirty and wrong. I don't like it one bit; and I'm considering all options that might make me feel better.
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I can comment again! It hasn’t been letting me.
You can export entries en masse and import into WordPress. It’s actually pretty easy. Getting your layout edited up for use with WP would take some time and you may want to pay someone to do that.
This, however, is precisely why I have had the hardest time re-opening my public blog. I switched to my LJ (which is friends-only, so only people I add can read) and I write in it daily. Sometimes multiple times in a day.
I have a hard time posting pictures to Facebook, even as locked down as my profile is, or posting pictures on Flickr.
The thing is, predators are always always going to be out there. We can’t lock up for a short time and then in 10 years, open back up and expect them to be gone. I may decide to start posting pictures of my son to my blog again and opening it back up but unfortunately, I run the risk of someone going “oh man, what a cute kid” and saving the picture…even for innocent reasons.
I’m not helping much, am I? 🙁 Sorry for my first comment in forever to be so full of doom and gloom.
WordPress actually has a specific part of their user system dedicated to importing blogs from other services – http://codex.wordpress.org/Importing_Content.
I’ve never done it but it seems pretty painless.
Oh, how I understand your concern, and have found that it’s a battle not worth fighting. If anyone checks out my blog, they’ll now find many fewer posts and pictures mainly of my knitted and crocheted projects. I don’t say much of value though, and very few people actually read my blog anyway, so I’ve cut down on/almost eliminated the number of kid pics. It just creeps me out to know that there are some really creepy people in the world. With that being said, I read on a knitting forum that a major yarn company stole someone’s personal photo of a yarn they have for use on the company website. ::head desk:: Even yarn pics aren’t safe.
I’m not helping either, am I?
I read this entry and I had to comment. I also have a karate blog and I noticed via my analytics some very strange search engine traffic. Here’s a link to my stats:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/urzXrz7JIGJULpznSE_DoXKd1HR6FVLYr54RNjSqmSg?feat=directlink
These results have been consistent EVERY MONTH. I also put up a seemingly innocent post on how, since I started karate, I started painting my toenails. Next thing I know, more than 1/2 of my visits EVERY DAY are from people searching for karate feet.
I think the fetish people leared they can find pictures of women’s feet on martial arts boards.
What is wrong with people? One time, when I was on MySpace, someone friend requested me on there and all of their friends had pictures of their feet and/or were female martial artists. Um, deny. DENY. DENY. DENY. I know were just talking about feet, but doesnt it feel like a violation? Im already working to tighten up security on my site. Im packing up and moving elsewhere. Thanks for letting me know Im not alone. I think youre 100% right.
Good gosh! That’s scary, it’s creepy and you’re not alone in feeling odd. On Myspace a few years ago, someone friended me, then commented on a picture of my kids that was in an album. I deleted him and locked down my pictures there. It’s not a good feeling to know that there are weirdos out there.
I struggle with this too. Every once in a while something I post which is totally innocent ends up being perverted somewhere in ways I don’t even pretend to comprehend (the most disturbing being over photos of me as a child). I don’t really know how to prevent it, so I ignore it when I can… and get aggressive when I have to. Now I just accept it as a part of being a blogger. But it doesn’t make me hate it any less.
Idiots happen. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t post anymore or should refrain from uploading pics. I do have SOME pics on my blog too, nothing that might cause an issue. I do believe it’s better to refrain from posting pics with your kids though, especially because of the idiots that roam the internet. I’d feel worse if I knew my kids photo helps a pervert “get off”. If it was my pic, well, I am a woman and have a good body. Men might think of it sometimes 😀
As for abusive comments: I put the email and IP into moderation. This way the person cannot even comment on my blog without my permission. Which I’ll never grant 😀
You can probably guess my opinion on this topic, but I’ll say it anyway. 🙂
Why do you care what someone does with what you put online? If you wrote a book, and you found out that there was some fetishist who got off on a passage in your book, would you stop selling it? Why is this any different?
You don’t have to put up with comments on your own site, but once you post something, just realize that it’s out of your control what people do with it.
Heather didn’t prevent anything. If I wanted to, I could go screencap her entire site in about 15 seconds, and short of password protecting her entire site, there is nothing she could do about it.
That’s the blessing and the curse of the Internet. In exchange for all of this free information, we have to understand and accept that the information we choose to put out there may not be used for purposes of which we approve. That’s why I think the book analogy is a good one.
And as someone who puts some risque photos on the Internet, I’ve received solicitations and emails from all kinds of fetishists. I just laugh at them – if they want to get off on that, good for them. It doesn’t affect me.
I dont know Adam. Maybe its a woman thing. Maybe its the fact that I have two little girls. I was actually thinking about the whole book analogy the other night. The difference is that I wouldnt have people showing up to leave me creepy comments. If that guy had never showed up, I wouldnt have know. Knowing now? I feel like I have to do something to make myself feel better. I appreciate your input though. I really do.
I agree – you might only get fan sites dedicated to you, or people show up at book signings with my analogy. And that is different than an invasion of your personal space on the Internet.
By all means, block his IP and email address – I think that’s a good idea.
Already done. 😉
I think every one should be cautious in posting in the web, creepos are always surfing the web.
Looong time lurker here – I think this is my first post though. Just wanted to say , although I agree *that* guy was creepy, you’ve done what needed to be done with his info (blocking), and I really hope you don’t password protect your site. I’ve ‘lost’ several sites I used to really enjoy because they’ve become protected in times when I was unable to read and / or because I rarely comment. I would be extra sad to lose BBM, since it was one of the inspirations for me to get back into martial arts after a reaaalllyy long hiatus.
For every nutjob out there, know that there are many, many more for whom you make a positive difference!
Thanks for your comment. Ive decided not to go the route of password protecting. However, I am switching blogging platforms so that I have more control over certain aspects of my blog. Hopefully it wont look like anything has changed though. Ill just feel better. Thanks for being a long time reader.
I like feet
LOLOL
I have been asking myself the same questions.
This week, I received a phone call at midnight from a person who would not identify themselves. They started asking me personal questions. The person told me that they read my blog and referred to specific blog posts. I did not answer any questions and quickly ended the call.
It makes me wonder how they found my phone number since it is only listed under the dojo name.
Oh my God! That is terrifying! What kinds of questions were they asking you? What are you going to do about it? Do you happen to have caller ID? My blog is being moved as I write this, to a different host. Im hoping that helps things.
I’m with Dave and Adam…not much can be done once you hit the PUBLISH button. You’ve blocked his I.P. and you’re moving to another platform. Hopefully, that’ll ease your mind a bit. It’s weird how people can turn the most innocent thing into something perverted. I get really weird searches on my blog, but then I kind of invite weird with my sense of humor. I just ignore the pervs as much as I can. And I moderate comments from newbies…I have to have approved at least one comment from you before you can leave a comment. Cuts down on spam.
Glad you’re not going the password-protect route. I hate that. I know it has its place, but for me passwords are irritating.
Sorry to hear you’ve had problems with strange people. As someone who has had a couple of stalkers over the years I can sympathize!
I’m glad you decided not to password protect, though. I’ve only just recently stumbled across your blog and I’m enjoying your posts!
As a writer and photographer I have had several
non-sexual photos find their way onto
the computers of people who found them to
be very sexual. There is a distinction, though,
between a fetishist and a pedophile. The problem
with advertising a blog to the world is that
you cannot discriminate. Some people find
some very non-traditional things attractive.
Who knows what a user will do with what you are
posting? Your only protection is to limit your
audience or limit what you expose. I had to
deal with “inappropriate” e-mails constantly.
My only suggestion…if afraid, don’t post. Other than that, who knows what someone, somewhere, is doing with what you post. Its a crazy world with crazy people, and we have to find some way to filter out the crazy. There is a balance between liberties, freedoms, and securities. Good luck…but with that being said…they are just feet. Not for me, but its nothing that isn’t normally exposed during the summer to the world anyway.