When should you censor your posts?

What started as a way to update your friends on your life has spiraled out of control. Suddenly, strangers are finding your site and commenting. You’re popping up on Google searches. People know who you are! And, as you know, with increased notoriety comes increased hatred from random strangers.

Obviously, you don’t want to write anything libelous. But apart from that, at what point do you need to start bowing to public opinion? When you’re trying to decide whether to take down or modify a post, consider these factors:

Shame
The internet is like high school, in that you can become a freak or a celebrity overnight. If you find people are sneering at one of your entries, consider how much shame this will bring on your head, and how much you can handle. Are you being discussed in an isolated forum that no one ever reads? Or are you about to become the next Star Wars Kid? More to the point, will it bother you if BoingBoing decides you are the most ridiculous thing ever? Be honest with yourself, and if you can’t handle the shame, consider taking the post down.

Revenge
Revenge is a dish best served on the internet. If people are pissed about something you wrote, they will often take their vengeance by writing upsetting things about you. Even if your original post wasn’t personal, the vengeance probably will be. Are you ready to put your money where your mouth is? Consider whether your post about tacky garden gnomes is worth the flame war being levied at you on someone else’s site.

Who will it hurt?
Is your post directed at a specific person? A rant about Reese Witherspoon probably won’t make it to her radar, but if you’re bashing one of your teachers, friends, family members, or any non-celebrity type, chances are they’re going to find out about it. Even if you’re slamming your arch nemesis, remember that an internet post does more damage than malicious gossip in the lunch room. That post might be read by your nemesis’ potential employers, girlfriend or kids. How important is it that you publicly denounce him or her? And is there any possibility you might regret doing it later? You might want to try taking the post down for a month and then see how you feel.

Free speech
In the end, it’s your blog. If you feel you can stand behind your post, and it’s not libelous, then no one can stop you from saying whatever you want. You shouldn’t be forced to recant something you’ve written (though it doesn’t hurt to reconsider, if you feel moved to do that). And one thing I’ve learned as a professional writer is that everything you write is going to offend someone, somewhere, no matter what your topic is.

E.M. Forster said it best in A Room With A View:

We cast a shadow on something wherever we stand, and it is no good moving from place to place to save things; because the shadow always follows. Choose a place where you won’t do harm – yes, choose a place where you won’t do very much harm, and stand in it for all you are worth, facing the sunshine.