This is very interesting, although I am a bit surprised it took so long.

""Law enforcement experts like Mike Weber owns Computer Forensic Investigative Services. He calls the internet the "new" stranger and insist most teens share too much information. ""
{Full story HERE}

I listened this morning to this news cast because it is a concern of mine, having my three children with blogs of their own. I also have friends that will not post a picture of their children on the net at all.

Now this news cast was mainly focused on XANGA and sites such as THIS ONE and THIS ONE.
Click on those links to see the difference between the blogs of those VERY YOUNG people and the blogs of my children. I was just totally disgusted! A person had advised my oldest daughter to make her blog on live journal, advise which was totally wrong and not acceptable in my household.
WHY?
Well, I am a bit....okay VERY over protective of my 3 babies. Having them use Blogger is much easier for me to keep track of in case I need to make changes or tack down am IP address. I just know Blogger like the back of my hand and looking around LiveJournal I was not at all please with what kind of blogs I seen for young people.

My children know not to talk to strangers and they all know the rules on and off the internet. None of them have use of a messenger service like Yahoo or AIM. I am very aware of who post on their blogs, I leave our lines of communication open. I know every minute each one is online and I am in the same room as they are.

Am I worried about psychopaths? Hell YES I am, just not ONLY online. Psychopaths are everywhere, you might end up being married to one someday without knowing it.

I love the fact that my children have a blog, freedom of expression, feedback from others who are on the outside of this family. My children, and myself, need blogs as a form of therapy. I have always had the kids keep a journal but I feel Blogs are much better.

The only problem with kids and blogs are the parents. The parents are not there watching, they are not there talking to their kids, these days parents are just too busy to bother with their own offspring.

I worry at times that I am too overprotective and that I smother my kids. I would rather smother them than have them create a blog like: "RoughChick" and her "I Like it Rough" blog.

**stepping down off my soap box**