What NOT to Share on Your Blog

One blogging question I've been asked quite frequently is: How much is okay to share about yourself online?

Although I've shared a lot about my life and who I am on my blog, I think it's important to be vague about some things.  You don't want to give all of your information out to the world.  Here are a few things I think are important not to share.

1.) Your address.  This should be a no-brainer.  If you give out your home address (or a picture of your house) on your blog, then anyone in the world can know exactly where you live.  Not a great idea.  If you want to receive fan mail or anything like that, I suggest getting a P.O. Box.

 
2.) Your hometown (if small).  If you live in a big city like Houston or New York, then it's not as big of a deal.  However, if you live in a little town with a couple thousand people, you might not want to share that fact with the world.  It'll be very easy to find where you live if you live in a small town.

3.) Your phone number.  Again, this should be obvious.

4.) When you and your entire family are out of town.  When I leave town with my entire family, I usually tell you guys after I've already returned.  When I'm gone, but my family is still at home--for instance, when I went to Kenya--I shared the exact dates I would be gone.  The reason you shouldn't tell everyone in the world when exactly you'll be away from home is because you could be robbed!  Everyone now knows that your home will be completely abandoned for the next two weeks or so.

5.) Information that could cause your identity to be stolen.  Don't share important security details about yourself, like your mother's maiden name or your social security number (duh!).  Be careful about your identity.  If you're cautious, then you should be fine.

I hope this helps.  If you feel uncomfortable about sharing something about yourself with the world, then don't share.  It's better to be safe than sorry.

Agree?  Disagree?