Two notes on yesterday's Ethicist, in which Anonymous, New Jersey, writes:

I stumbled upon my college-age daughter's online journal. I have always regarded diaries as off limits to outsiders and have scrupulously avoided even casual glimpses of my children's personal writings. Now, however, my daughter is offering her daily postings to the world. I imagine that the idea of her father's reading her innermost thoughts would lead to self-censorship, and I don't want to spoil a writing venue she enjoys. Is it ethical for me to read her journal without telling her?

1) "Stumbled upon" means Anonymous was either googling his daughter, digging for something to take offense at, or googling himself, which Anon. must do on such a regular basis that this caused him to sit up and take note. It's very unlikely you'd be reading up on the WTO or tulip bulbs and mysteriously happen upon your college-age daughter's blog, which is as likely as not about apple bongs. Cough up the whole story, Mister—there's more to your ethics query than meets the eye. What you really want to ask is, "Is it violating my daughter's privacy to google her every five days? Am I being a good parent or do I just have abandonment issues?"

2) Our friend Anonymous has obviously already read the blog in full, including archives, and followed every link to its shameful end. Clearly, this empty-nest dad needs his own blog to keep busy till Ashley gets home for summer break. By then she'll be posting camera-phone photos of her family's hideously embarrassing lawn furniture, so before further damage is done to family trust and serenity, starting anonymousinnewjersey.blogspot.com can start the healing.

Randy Cohen, the Ethicist [Gothamist]
The Ethicist [Steve Martin, New Yorker; via The Compleat Steve]