I decided going public with my name was the better choice (I don’t write the blog under my name, but I comment on other blogs with my real name). For one, I don’t plan on posting things that I couldn’t or wouldn’t want to have my name attached to. And I’ve got to side with Luke here: when you’re not anonymous, you can’t hide under that very thin security blanket of anonymity, and you’re less tempted to say things you probably shouldn’t be saying in the first place.

Names of bloggers have a way of coming out at some point or another. It wouldn’t be the first time somebody innocently (or not so innocently) “outs” an anonymous blogger. I think this applies to law students especially -if you reveal your school, then you limit the the number of people you could be to a pretty small pool. Or as one student blogger did it, who inadvertently revealed the name of one the professors and the class they teach. A quick google search will tell you what school the student goes to. Maybe not a big deal, except if you’re trying to stay anonymous. It’s easy to give out too much info for somebody to figure out who you are.

Social Media is here to stay. The important thing is to take a breath prior to posting anything, and ensure you are comfortable with what you are posting. Take a look at your post through the eyes of a judge, your managing partner, a potential employer or the character & fitness review board. Every one of these “authorities” has the ability to utilize this information and potentially affect your life at some time in the future, and if you don’t think they will utilize this information to assess your skills, attitude, ethics etc… then you are kidding yourself. As someone who has hired @ 30 people and promoted @ 5 more, I can assure you social media info can play a huge role in perceptions of a candidate. There is no reason to think any different outcome might ensue in a different context.

“Keep it cute or put it on mute.” – people get in trouble for negative, nasty posts that are basically all liability with no benefit other than momentary venting. If you stay positive then there’s only so much trouble you can get into.

How are you able to “unmask” people off of blogger? My site is on blogger and that is just a bit scary.

Social Media is here to stay. The important thing is to take a breath prior to posting anything, and ensure you are comfortable with what you are posting. Take a look at your post through the eyes of a judge, your managing partner, a potential employer or the character & fitness review board. Every one of these “authorities” has the ability to utilize this information and potentially affect your life at some time in the future, and if you don’t think they will utilize this information to assess your skills, attitude, ethics etc… then you are kidding yourself. As someone who has hired @ 30 people and promoted @ 5 more, I can assure you social media info can play a huge role in perceptions of a candidate. There is no reason to think any different outcome might ensue in a different context.

I was not anonymous as a blogger for many years, as I wrote purely for myself and family, almost like a year-long Christmas update letter. I started over anonymously last year after a couple of scary situations with other blogger friends (as a young, single woman there are a host of safety issues that people don’t take seriously enough, in my humble opinion…you shouldn’t be posting pictures of your house, etc.). I decided recently to move away from being quite so anonymous because I don’t see that there was much for my anonymity to protect.

I don’t worry about employers or whomever “finding” my blog because I don’t post things that I would be ashamed to talk with them about (although I doubt they are really that interested in my thoughts on the most recent episode of The Bachelor). I think it is what you make it, in the end.
I’ve been happy blogging in both camps and think you just need to do what works best for your life situation. If you blog with integrity, it doesn’t matter much to me whether you sign your real name or not.

Interesting post, great comments…