I got the creepiest email today. It was a notification of a comment from a past blog post on this blog.
The comment was from a guy saying that a lady had approached him and showed him a ton of pictures of my son (from this blog) and tried to claim that the son was hers and that he was the father. He gave me his contact information if I wanted more information.
I read that and I wanted to throw up.
How sick and twisted! I can't believe someone would do that. The truth of this comment has yet to be verified but even just the thought really creeps me out. It creeps me out so much that I'm considering password protecting this blog....or even unpublishing it altogether,
I know we aren't to expect that much privacy when we blog (even when we try to be anonymous). I know I'm basically publishing things for the entire world to read (read: complete strangers). But it just makes my stomach turn to think about all the ways that my content can be used improperly and without my permission.
This lady seems like a real creeper. But it could probably be much worse (for me anyway, it probably sucks to be the guy she was trying to fool). This has got me thinking a lot about the purpose and future of this blog. The whole blogging thing is not worth violations of my children's privacy or the risk that something bad could happen.
I need to mull things over a bit. I would appreciate thoughts, suggestions, or comments. Has anyone else had a similar experience?
And hey, if you happen to be the creeper lady. GO AWAY.
Sh*t: I wipe it, put up with it, and get it done. These are the adventures of a mommy lawyer.
Hi, you don't know me but I do have a similar experience, well, not entirely but in a way, it's similar.
ReplyDeleteI think it’s only fair if I briefly introduce myself, even though “introducing” myself online still brings a hazy sense of nervosity.
I’m a 20 year old woman who has been silently reading the stories on your blog, and as much as I would love for you to continue writing and sharing them, as much as they inspire and motive me, and as much as I look up to you, for the fact that you’re such a career oriented woman who runs a beautiful family so successfully, I learnt that social media can be liberating but threatening at the same time.
There was a guy who wanted to be more than friends, but after I turned him down, something snapped within him. He became convinced that I was his girlfriend, and he told everybody that I was, in fact, his girlfriend.
I knew he was telling people this, even though I already had a relationship, but what I didn’t know was the fact that he had been collecting pictures and information about me that he could find online, that he had been stalking me for months, years.
The moment I found out, I blocked him. It drove him ferocious. He wasn’t done and it became a tiring battle, in which the police was involved, that took over one year to get rid of him.
Privacy has value, that can not be measured. I learned this the hard way.
The world is filled with mentally deranged or simply insane people, like the “creeper lady.”
Taking your blog down won’t efface these people, and it won’t ensure the safety of your family.
And even though the online world can be a scary place, there are still tons of Youtubers who film and publish their lives online, such as the “Shaytards.” So, you're not alone in this!
But, listen to what your instinct tells you, because this is often right as I believe. If it gives you the slightest unsettling feeling that just won’t vanish, then stop. Because blogging is indeed not, not ever, worth violations of your and your children’s privacy. It is also not and not ever worth your and your children’s safety or even sleepless nights.
As for suggestions:
Give it some time to think about it, if the whole creeper lady story is true.
Perhaps limit the amount of pictures to only a few, or keep pictures that have emotional value such as the first day of school e.g. only for your family to see.
And even though I'd be sad if you'd stop: I wouldn't wish such sleepless nights and frighting thoughts on anybody.
Ps: apologies for any grammar errors, English is not my native language.
- Gabriëlla
This creeper lady thing is sooo messed up. I am sorry this happened to you :-(
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about creeper lady. very gross. password protection is a good way to go - you get to keep the blog but keep out potentially creepy strangers. but i kinda like knowing that strangers can stumble into my little electronic world and make a connection...if only there was a way to JUST block out the creeps. :-(
ReplyDeleteCreepy! This happened to another blog I follow, and she ended up moving domains and then watermarking her photos. http://slcnewlyweds.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-plan.html
ReplyDeleteYea it's messed up I'm the guy who the creeper ladie tried to fool with this lady's sons pictures. I'm sorry it happened but I'm glad a family member was able to find this blog so that I knew. She wouldn't let me meet or talk to this pretend son and I was getting ready to get legal help cause I didn't know what to do. Since I contact you to let you know what happened I have not heard another single lie from this women and hope she never contacts me again. Once again I'm sorry and you have a beautiful family.
ReplyDelete