Blog Survey

We are interested in finding out how bloggers think about issues of privacy and liability as they publish online. To that end, we are asking bloggers to fill out this survey. If you are interested in learning the results from our survey, please indicate so at the end of the questionnaire.

Learn more about the survey and who is running it.

If you have any questions about this survey, please send email to: blog-survey@media.mit.edu

Thanks for your help!
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1. Please list the URLs of up to five blogs that you read. (optional)

2. Please list the URLs of blogs to which you are the sole author. (optional)

  3. Please list the URLs of any blogs that you co-author with other people:


4. Do you identify yourself on your blog (i.e. is your real name clear on the site?)
Yes
No
on some blogs, but not all
it is a bit more complicated, please explain:


5. How long have you been blogging?
 less than 3 months
3 to 6 months
6 months to one year
one to two years
over two years

6. How would you characterize the kinds of entries you publish on your blog(s)? Please check all that apply:
    personal ramblings
    academic brainstorm
    professional brainstorm
    political opinions
    hobby
    gossip
    other:


7. How private are the things you write about on your blog? ("private" means either personal or confidential)

extremely
1
2
3
4
5
not at all


8. How often have you considered whether something was too personal to write about in your blog?

always
1
2
3
4
5
never


9. In general, when you write things about people you know personally in your blog:

  a) do you ask them permission to do so?
 
always
1
2
3
4
5
never
      I never write about people I know personally

  b) do you reveal their names?
 
always
1
2
3
4
5
never
I never write about people I know personally
  Please explain why:

10. In general, when you write things about companies/products in your blog:

  a) do you ask them permission to do so?
 
always
1
2
3
4
5
never
I never write about companies/products

  b) do you reveal their names?
 
always
1
2
3
4
5
never
I never write about companies/products
  Please explain why:

11. How well do you feel you know your blog's audience?

extremely well
1
2
3
4
5
not at all

Please explain:

12. How often do you look at the log of who has accessed your blog?

extremely often
1
2
3
4
5
 never
logs not available

13. If you were aware of all the people who read your blog, how likely is it that you would become more careful about what you write?
very likely
1
2
3
4
5
 not likely at all
N/A

14. How often have you written highly personal things on your blog?

all the time
1
2
3
4
5
never

15. How often have your gotten in trouble for anything you wrote on your blog?

all the time
1
2
3
4
5
never

If you have gotten in trouble, briefly explain the situation:



16. How much do the comments that people write on your blog affect the entries you write?
extremely
1
2
3
4
5
 not at all
leaving comments is not an option on my blogs


17. Are you surprised when someone you meet in person says they have read your blog?
extremely
1
2
3
4
5
 not at all
it has never happened to me


18. Does it bother you that the things you publish on your blog will be available online for a long time?
extremely
1
2
3
4
5
 not at all


19. How liable do you think you are for the things you write on your blog?
extremely
1
2
3
4
5
 not at all


20. Do you think people could sue you for things you have written on your blog?
Yes
No
If yes, please explain:

21. Have you ever erased (or edited) something you had published on you blog?
Yes
No
If yes, please explain:


22. Do you know any bloggers who have gotten in trouble with friends or family for things they posted on their blogs?
Yes
No
If yes, please explain:


23. Do you know any bloggers who have gotten in trouble with the law (have been sued, or had their entries subpoenaed by lawyers) because of their blogs?
Yes
No
If yes, please explain:

24. Have your blogging habits changed over time?
Yes
No
If yes, please explain:

25. Do you do anything to limit who can read what you post?
Yes
No
If yes, please explain:

26. If you would like to clarify any of your responses or provide more detail, please do so here. Feel free to also share information about blogs that you think might be relevant to this survey.


DEMOGRAPHICS

27. Age

28. Sex

29. Education



30. Ethnicity:


31. Where were you born?


32. Where do you currently reside?



33. Email address (optional)



34. The results from this survey will be available on this site after the collection and analysis of data are done.
Are you interested in being notified about the results from this survey?
Yes
No
If yes, please make sure you enter a valid email address