I've always found that when you speak of your employers, you do so with discretion and fairness. Yes, we have to be careful what we say when we post about work/friends/ etc, but I can't see anyone taking you to task over your posts, unlike other sites. But I guess having that extra mouth to feed is a good reminder, huh ;-)

-Posted by Quinn MacDonald on June 19, 2003 10:18 AM

yeah anything i've noticed from this site has been far from disparaging. i think it's always a Good Move to mention your corporation generically (like you do in the about section ;). depending on the nature of the corporation, and whether or not your coworkers like you -- something may be brought to another's attention. .

this is Yet Another reason i'm going back and forth about wanting to be employed verses continuing contract work...and i'm generally a considerate guy :)

-Posted by jon on June 19, 2003 11:18 AM

A search for my name pulls up my site right away, but I try to make sure there isn't anything on there that mentions or could be connected to my specific employer.I don't talk with many coworkers about my site either, even though it is about as non-controversial as could be.

You have never said anything that looks like it could get you in trouble, but I think it is hard to be too careful with how irrational corporations have been about blogging.

Do you remember when Dooce got fired for generically ripping on her manager? Never mentioned the company ever, but the manager found out. I would link directly to the entry, but the site is down right now. It happened a year or so ago.
http://www.dooce.com/

-Posted by josh on June 19, 2003 01:17 PM

Here is the link to that story.

Collecting Unemployment

-Posted by josh on June 19, 2003 03:37 PM

I try to keep my personal site/blog separate from anything I do for my company. Of course, my resumé is posted up so anyone can see who I am currently employed by, but I try not to comment on subject matter directly related to what my employer does. That doesn't mean that they may not like what I'm saying, but I tend to hope that it'll keep me out of hot water with them. Everyone else? Well, they're fair game.

-Posted by huxley75 on June 24, 2003 01:45 PM

Interesting one, really. I decided to only refer to my company obliquely or as "the company" in my blog. While I might criticise certain aspects that relate to the work I do, I would never reveal anything commercially sensitive or openly criticise the company itself. Anyone who does so is opening themselves up to action for libel!

I guess the real difficulty comes in when your blog is closely identified with the work that you do within a company - i.e. is an "unofficial" company blog. In these circumstances, I reckon common sense comes into play. Would you tell a stranger who telephoned you the information you are posting without a second thought? If so, I reckon it's usually fine...although personal judgement can be occluded occasionally.

-Posted by Mark Thristan on June 25, 2003 08:43 AM