I’m playing hide-and-seek

For the longest time I’ve been in a pickle¹ as to whether or not I should post my portfolio/blog/twitter/whatever link on Facebook or places where my offline friends can see it. Not that I mind them seeing my work or knowing that I can web design², but I’m not really quite sure how I feel about them reading my blog. Not that I’ve written anything mean about people I actually care about, but I’ve always treated my blog as a place where I can escape from reality and express myself without worrying about what my friends might think.

Let's play a game...I hide, you seek.

On top of that, what if potential employers stumble upon my blog and read about how I rant and bitch about just everything under the sun? I’m worried because when you search my full name in Google, my portfolio is the 4th result on the 1st page! And of course, on my portfolio are links to this blog and my Twitter, and well, let’s just say that I haven’t always put my best face forward for either one.

So as a result, I’ve converted some of the more “controversial” posts into password protected ones, and will now do so for selected future posts. Leave a comment if you’re interested in accessing these posts. One password fits all Error processing request

I’ve been DYING to use this phrase ↩
Like, oh em gee! ↩

written on September 23, 2010 in Blogging

44 Comments

You might like these posts:

Giving visitors link juice

Excluding posts from feeds

Looking back & moving forward

Removing ads for your readers

Bloggers: Pinterest is your friend

http://sarieah.net Sarah

I face this dilemma too, I don't like the idea of people I know IRL viewing my posts. I don't post anything that could cause anyone upset, but a blog is something quite personal and I wouldn't like people I know viewing all my posts.
http://rachelisms.net Rachel

I think if I were you I wouldn't put a link to my blog or Twitter on my Facebook, but I would leave the portfolio links up. I can't really explain my logic there.

Anyway, I think it's a good idea to keep the more "controversial" posts password-protected. Definitely smart.

May I have the password?
http://www.silent-white.com/ Cat

I don't like the idea of offline friends reading my blog either, so I keep the private entries on a protected Livejournal ;; I'm ok with them reading my twitter/Facebook since I don't post much.

I'd like to have access if you don't mind
http://breakthesky.net Manda

I think when people offline discover a blog, they get super excited and interested and nosy for about five minutes before they forget about it altogether. Unless they have a blog too, in which case they'll probably add you to their feed reader and follow your blog forever
http://spicaa.net Tina

I posted a similar post regarding this issue too. I'm not really comfortable knowing offline people I know are reading my "thoughts". I've already faced the consequence of exposure after a big rant, so I've learned to password-protect those posts. I've even blocked search engines from my blog.
http://oh.so-very.me Jenny

I've pretty much given up on hiding my sites from people. LOL My husband knows where it is, my mom knows where it is, so I just throw the link up where ever.

But if you wanted to, you could take your personal links off your portfolio. Maybe that would help?
http://www.the-artful.net/blog Shiri

Same thing with me. My offline friends don't know about my blog. Well, some know that I have had a domain.. but they've never really asked about it and so we don't talk about it. It's not that I talk about too personal things online (like bashing out on work friends or something) but.. I don't feel comfortable sharing my blog to those who know me in real life. I don't know why.
http://www.sutaru.net Sutaru

I'm definitely still interested in reading all your posts! I agree with you. I talk a lot about the people in my life outside the internet. I had my blog linked to my facebook for a really short period of time, and then I friended people such as my boss, my sister, my best friend and my mom, all people I've written about. The last time I linked my dad to my blog (since he lives in China and it would give him some insight on my life), it turned into this giant yelling fest between my mom and me. I used to be one of those blog-a-day peoplle until that incident.
http://crazy-cordy.net Courtney

If you're worried about offline friends and potential employers reading stuff you might not want them to see… just edit yourself. And also do the password protected entries like you said. Because anyone could type in your name or whatnot in google and be able to find your sites…
http://ovxii.com Sophia

I know exactly how you feel! I actually did sync my Twitter and Facebook though, but not after some vigorous debate. I don't feel comfortable showing other people my blogs so I don't actually post up the URL on my profile. However if they check out my Twitter, they'll still be able to see the link. I actually don't think I mind as much as I thought, since most of my entries are free-for-all, the especially personal ones I'd usually put a password just like you said.

And oh, I'd love to still be able to read all your entries!
http://6birds.net. Liz

I used to think of my blog as my "safe place", and I still do. My mom reads my blog (I don't know whether she reads my comments too) now, though, because she saw me on it one day. She had brought it up and told me to quit visiting it because it was "causing viruses" and junk, when it was really my brother downloading music and videos and such. >.<

I still think of it as my sanctuary, though.
http://ibran.me Brandy

Man. I completely understand where you're coming from. I think about this a lot as well. My boss told me that she reads my blog though. Guess I'm alright with that. LOL.
http://originalcolor.net Anndrea

I think online blogs are an escape for people and having IRL people read it – there's no longer an escape.

Anyway, for me, I don't care who reads my blog – if anything is private; there's livejournal. Ha.

And also, if you'd like to exchange links – as well as follow eachother on blog lovin' let me know! I'd love to get to know you better!
http://after-hours.me Chrizta

I've been contemplating about that issue too. If my friends read my blog, it's no problem, but I have aunts and uncles on my FB and I wouldn't want them reading my thoughts, haha.
http://dream-ling.net Emily

I'm the same way. No one on my fb knows about this blog except maybe for 2 and they don't come to it anymore. I rather have random people I've never met before read because I can be more myself.
http://amour-fou.net Elizabeth

Hi! You don't know me, but I found your site and I LOVE your designs. Fo realz.

Also, I totally get what your hang-ups are about meshing your online and offline worlds… I kept my web design passion a secret for probably like at least 8 years, and then I met a girl in real life who also designed websites. And I was finally like… HEY I'm not the only female who does something super nerdy with her free time! And now I'm way more open about it. Especially because I'm trying to make a career out of it…

Anyway, I do the password-protected thing too.
http://stepherz.org stepherz

I think the employer one is a big issue! It's definitly a good idea. It's not like you said, like you put anything bad, but I feel like employers do kind of look at any little complaint as "unfriendliness" or something.
http://wildx.org/ Rilla

Ahaha the exact same worry here. Unfortunately I've passed around my blog url to the close friends, and some of them check occasionally. I also rant about them too, but like I care. I express myself without worrying what they think anyway.
http://siliconsara.com Sara

I'm surprised no one's mentioned about getting dooced, which is when your employer finds your blog with incriminating posts.

Good idea to password-protect, but you can also use a plugin to further separate readers into groups for further security. So, if you talk about something you don't want group A to read but group B to read, and so on and so forth. The only caveat is that people have to register, but to me that's actually a good thing.