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Don't Password Protect A Blogger Blog

We see the signs of naivete, periodically, in Blogger Help Forum: Learn More About Blogger.
How do I require my readers to enter a password, to keep my blog safe from public view?
This blog owner does not understand the realities of setting up a private blog.

Long ago (very long ago), a computer system might have "private" files, and a shared password, known by everybody, for each file. Nowadays, a private Blogger blog uses team blog access - or team blog ownership - and each team member gets to choose her / his own Blogger account, with a password that he / she decides to use (and hopefully, remember).

Having a group shared password is fine, for a small group, where nobody leaves. What happens when somebody leaves the group?

Group shared pass codes are fine - until the group changes.

Have you ever worked in an office, where the doors are protected by a tumbler key set - or maybe combination push buttons? That's a shared password system. What happens when somebody leaves the group? Every door has to be re keyed - or the locks have to be changed.

What if the blog owner has to change the password for the blog, because somebody shared the password with a stranger - or somebody just left the group? Have you ever gotten to work, and found that your key - or assigned push button combination - doesn't work?

Have you ever had to wait for the department secretary to get to work, and give you a new key, because they changed the locks last week, while you were out of town? Have you had to anxiously search your email, looking for the message from the manager, providing the new password (here's hoping that you can get online, and your computer / phone has a freshly charged battery)?

Personal pass codes promote individual responsibility.

The personal account / password approach is so much more supportable - and it promotes responsibility. Have you ever had the manager ask everybody who came in over the weekend, and left the office in a mess?

With everybody using a common physical key, to open the door, there is no telling who comes and goes. Using individual passwords - or preferably, a card key system - you can audit employee presence, and encourage responsible attendance.

Use personal Blogger / Google accounts, for better security.

Using a personal account / password is so much better than a group shared password. Don't waste time trying to protect your blog, behind a shared password script.

Just make the blog private. Invite designated members - and let each member choose their own account / password, for blog membership.

Comments

Ubiquity said…
The value if this advice depends upon your point of view and blogging purpose.
In a corporate situation what you say makes sense, as it does if your intention is to limit blog interaction largely to those in the Google family. If you want a broader reach there can be advantages in limiting access to certain parts of your blog by passwording. Google has now recognised this in the context of shared documents and folders on Google Drive which no longer restricts access to people with Google accounts.
Nitecruzr said…
That's correct. It makes sense to limit access to certain parts of your blog - as long as you design "your" blog properly.

Since Blogger blogs are designed around private ownership on a per blog basis - and since private blogs period are not all that popular - it makes sense for the owners of the private blogs to work within the design of Blogger - not demand that Blogger change their design.

Setup a second (third, fourth, ...) blog, if you need different access to certain parts of your blog - then combine the blogs in a cluster.

That's the responsible solution.

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/2008/06/more-granular-security-for-your-blog.html

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/2007/06/adding-your-blogger-blog-to-your-non.html

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