Ever become engrossed in a blog--only to find out that it's all a lie?

[HybridVigor]

That's what happened to a lot of people who flocked to one woman's blog about her pregnancy with an infant diagnosed with a terminal illness while in utero. According to this woman's fictional account, she chose not to terminate and planned a home birth and wrote that her baby had died shortly afterward.

When one of her loyal blog readers saw the picture she posted of her "baby" she was found to be a liar. The baby's face was recognized as a molded plastic--Her loyal reader had the same doll in her own home, and had blown the whistle.

This article has a lot of misinformation. The blog wasn't an anti-abortion themed blog, and Beccah Beushausen is an artist with a history of mental illness . . . not a social worker.

So, she managed to get a lot of hits and actually make some money from her blog . . . which is what a lot of mama's here would find nice, but she lied to people.

Until I read about this, I'd never thought to question the authenticity of the blogs I read. I guess it's the power of the internet . . . you can read anything, see anything, and BE anyone you want to be.

[hollyvangogh]

I wouldn't think to question a blog either b/c I'm nothing but truthful on mine. But now I'm going to be wondering...I bet a lot of bloggers stretch things so as to make themselves look better but I think that would be easy to catch b/c when I read a blog I expect the author to let her imperfections hang out.

PS: What's IPT (in your siggy)?

[Sagesgirl]

It's honestly not a big concern of mine. Of course, I don't read anyone who's waving around a sob story like that. Most of the blogs I read regularly, the authors are semi-anonymous at most, and well active in blogger meet-ups. For, say, Matt G of Better and Better to be lying about being a small town police officer, then he'd either have to have convinced at least a dozen other bloggers who've met him that he's legit (some of whom are well-known bloggers), or maintain all those other blogs himself, even over the heads of their actual authors.

I'd be immediately suspicious of anyone with a fantastic story, because, well, it probably is, KWIM? What gets me isn't that this woman is a poseur, but that she had the brass ovaries to post a picture of a doll and claim it as her baby!

[lauradbg]

I'm truthful in everything I post, but I don't post everything in my life, and I assume others are the same.

I have never spoken about my kids in truly negative terms or anyone in my family or friends, and I wouldn't. But, my life is much more complicated and complex than I portray in my blog. I have all sorts of feelings that are never written about--my blog is not a personal diary that I'm sharing with the world, it has parts of my life that I'm sharing with the world.

The truly intimate sharing I do with my husband, family and friends. My blog is more to address issues of unschooling, real foods, politics etc. Things that I feel are universal or knowledge that I feel is important to share I do.

The point of my blog is to entertain and enlighten. Probably mostly in that order--I am learning so much I don't really feel in the position to enlighten anyone, but I do like to share what I learn.

I would feel so betrayed if people were just BSing on their blogs, unless it was clear that it was a short story or something. And, I wouldn't mind if people embroidered stories a bit, they have poetic license to do so as a writer. But, to lie about children or incidents or experiences is so fake and empty--what is the point?

I love reading universal mom/kid stories. I have been thrown up on and tried to put underpants on dancing kids (Tina Fey said that in an interview and I just about died) and had full blown arguments with toddlers--with toddlers, can you imagine?! I love to read these kinds of things and feel so understood when I do--if it was all a lie on someone's blog, where would I feel that same kind of empathy?

I hate liars.

[Mulvah]

Edited by Mulvah - 10/16/11 at 7:06am

[HybridVigor]

Originally Posted by hollyvangogh

PS: What's IPT (in your siggy)?

Infant Potty Training aka Elimination Communication aka Natural Infant Hygiene.
There's a lot of names for it. ^__^

This whole issue really made me take a step back and think about my blog, you know? I have my real name, my son's name, our real pictures. I've thought about taking those all down and using just my first name or a pen name to be safe on the internet.

I write MY truth. I don't exaggerate, because I simply find that life itself is often wilder and more far-fetched than my imagination could conjure. My blog is where I write what's important to me that I want to share with the world.

It's a shame that people out there would lie to others, take advantage of them (money and attention), and discredit the media through which I would LOVE to communicate. I want "loyal readers" and people to share my blog with others. I want to write well, be entertaining, and strike a cord in the hearts of others . . . and I don't want them wondering if I'm for real.

And anything that would help authenticate me as a real person and blog author is also something that could put me and my family in danger because of the nature of the internet.

To be honest, it's not a concern of mine either. I'll continue reading blogs and believing them . . . because it's better to do that, to take part in someone's experiences both joys and sorrows, than it is to distrust everything.

I hope that lady is getting some help, and that those who followed her blog can pick their jaws up off the floor and move on without being too jaded.

[tootaloo78]

I did read a blog for awhile about a woman who was homeschooling four kids, living simply, etc. and it was fascinating to me even though I didn't agree with all of her views on Christianity. It later came to my attention that she'd been called out as a "fake" by other mom bloggers, but I was never sure why, so I don't know if she was for real or not.

I am completely honest in the things that I share on my own blog, but I definitely do not share everything. Certain things like issues with family members, problems between my dh and I, for example, will always be off limits. I do enjoy sharing personal struggles as a mom, woman, keeping my home together, stretching our money, etc. and am always brutally truthful about those things.

[Smokering]

I read in the newspaper about some guy who wrote a confessional "Sex and the City"/"Bridget Jones' Diary"-type blog, pretending to be a woman, and eventually revealed it as fiction and sold it as a book or something.

I don't follow many blogs in real life, and most of them, such as sewing blogs, would be rather tricky to fake!

[greenmamato2]

I actually followed the blog and read it start to finish when it was going. I think the last time I saw it the baby had just died, but I don't remember a photo. I was heartbroken because I'd just passed the 1 year anniversary of my own pregnancy loss (midway through the pregnancy). The faith exhibited was amazing to see... I can't believe that she lied so much though. I cried and cried for them... and it brought up a lot of heartache on my part. I remember sending her an email of support. I feel totally duped.

I do blog, but I don't EVER write things that aren't true on there. I don't put EVERYTHING on there, but what I do put on there is 100% true. I don't understand lying on a blog.

I guess people like her just want the attention.

[marsupial*mama]

An online buddy pointed out the 'interesting-ness' of her name 'Beccah Beushausen' having resemblance to 'Munchausen' and that the clue to her inauthenticity was there all along.

My sincere condolences to those who followed her blog. I can only imagine how heartbreaking it is to lose a baby in reality.

My own blog is as authentic as they come - though I am cautious about sharing personal details and my children's/partner's names.