The Friend Friday project by Modly Chic is a way for bloggers to share more about themselves and create a friendly connection with other bloggers. Katy of Modly Chic sends us questions weekly, and we answer on our blogs.
In a world where everyone gets there 15 minutes of fame, the concept of privacy may be lost. Living ones life online has become the norm. However, the culture of letting it all hang out leaves something to be desired and bloggers, much like celebrities, value anonymity.
1. Do you think privacy is something we should worry about as bloggers?
I think privacy is something that we should expect as humans. I understand that as bloggers we put aspects of our lives out there for our readers to see, but there should be a clear line distinction between what we put out and what is private to us.
2. Do you use your real name or a pen name? What was behind that decision?
This is funny because a fellow blogger recently asked me if I preferred to be referred to as Fajr or Ms. Thought. When I first began blogging I went by Ms. Thought, not really for anonymity, but because I thought my name was hard to pronounce. I’ve since switched to using Fajr because it is who I am and I feel like everything I write is from me, so why not represent myself fully and as writer, I will be published by name anyway.
3. How much personal information do you reveal about your life beyond the blog?
As far as information; my real name, what city I live in, whether I’m in a relationship at the moment and pictures from my experiences. But I feel like everything I put on my blog is personal because it’s my opinion and my thoughts which are the most personal parts of me.
4. What will you never reveal?
I never say never and I don’t feel that there is anything I won’t reveal, it’s just when and in what context I would reveal it. If revealing something about myself will benefit my readers than I don’t have a problem sharing.
5. As bloggers, we have to an extent made ourselves ‘public’ figures. But still there are things that are intimate to each of us that does not need to be known by anyone that stumbles across our blog. How do you determine what is appropriate for public consumption and what is private to you?
If it makes me feel uncomfortable to share then I won’t. That’s the only real barometer I go by.
I don’t think it’s an oxymoron. This lack of privacy for public figures is fairly recent and a product of choice (for MANY). There are some things that people don’t need to know and that line should be drawn by the person in view.
I agree. We as bloggers need to draw the line on what we will and won’t share.