Blogging: When blogging can get you in to trouble!

As I have said in some previous posts (see "[The Nature of Blogging (pun intended)" and "Blogging: Using a blog in eLearning") and I mentioned in a phone conversation yesterday with Ilona Miko (Nature Education Team Member, Neurobiologist, Managing Editor) - I like blogging!

In fact, I have been blogging for around 8 years. I started blogging for personal reasons, and over the years I have set up blogs to do with my teaching, and now I write this blog for Scitable. The reason I blog is not because I think I have anything particularly useful (or even interesting) to say, but because I like the process and find it useful, and the part of the 'process' I find useful is that blogging forces me to think about things and get them sorted out in my head. Basically, the 'process' is reflective, it forces me to think about my teaching.

This morning I was lying in bed listening to Today on [BBC Radio 4 when a really odd story came on... (Looks like I may be revealing too much of myself online, which interestingly was the subject of a recent edition of BBC Click Raido where Andrew Keen discussed with hosts Gareth Mitchell and Bill Thompson the 'nature of self' and the dangers of revealing information online - podcast.)

The odd story was about a nine-year-old schoolgirl who started blogging last month (NeverSeconds) about her school dinners and has now been asked by her local council - Argyll and Bute (a region in Scotland) - to stop taking photographs of the food for the blog. I have looked at NeverSeconds, and I have read the council's press release - Statement on school meals from Argyll and Bute Council addressing the issue. But the question is, what is the issue?

What I find interesting is that as far as I can see is NeverSeconds is kind of sweet and amusing. The aims of the blog are clearly defined (Eating batteries) and I really like that it is a 9 year old blogging, and the fact that blog is raising money for a charity (Mary's Meals - donate). I also like the fact that the blog is in tradition of people blogging about food, complete with photos (if you don't believe me that there is a tradition of blogging about food just do a search for 'food blogs' - there is even a UK Food Bloggers Association. I really can't see any harm in the blog, or why the council has insisted that the blogger stops taking photos?

I know my students blog. They blog about science, the course, their efforts to find [employment](http://employncl.com/) and their summer lab-placements. I encourage it. So why shouldn't a nine year old write a food blog? Surely she should be encouraged? There is a great interview with the blog author on the BBC - interview, plus a comment from the council. And more information on the story is also available.

Do you blog? Has blogging ever got you in to trouble? Can you explain to me why a blog written by a nine year old about school dinners has been shut down? Shouldn't schools and councils be trying to encourage this sort of thing?

If you have answers to any of the above questions, then please post then below....

2 Comments

June 17, 2012 | 01:19 PM

Posted By: Nick Morris

Yes Sarah, it may have been the “pieces of hair" score that caused problems! Although from what I can gather it was the way the press ran with the blog story in Scotland that really upset the council.

The good news is council has backed down and the blogger will be allowed to continue photographing her meals. The really good news is the blog has raised a staggering amount of money for its chosen charity.

June 15, 2012 | 06:10 PM

Posted By: Sarah Stephen

To answer your questions:
1. I have been blogging for over a decade. Like you, my initial blogs were all youthful: flippant and personal. The current ones are quasi-professional and focused (primarily on environmental issues).
2. Thankfully, (touch wood) no trouble yet although I am aware that named ‘entities’ do pay a visit. I believe that as long as one reports facts, there isn’t any reason to be concerned.
3. I suppose that the blog ruffled many feathers for known/unknown reasons. Perhaps the ‘pieces of hair’ bit?
4. Yes, they should be. I suppose originality and innovativeness is still not in vogue…

Blogging: When blogging can get you in to trouble!

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