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    Once upon a time, a personal diary was something you kept hidden away. It was where you wrote down your most private thoughts and feelings, knowing that no one else would read it. Then along came the Internet, and now the idea of a private diary seems old—fashioned.

Many teenagers like writing online diaries because they feel free to write anything. “In real life, you can't always say what you think,” says Jake, an eighteen-year-old from New York. “On the Internet, you can express yourself more freely.” Fans of Jake's site log on to find out what he's been up to. What he's wearing and how he feels. He gets around two hundred letters a day from people who read his online diary.

    Some people are not sure that online diaries are a good idea. “Teenagers need to be careful with what they write on a website,” says Patricia Chadwick. “You don't know who is visiting your website and whether they will try to find you,” she says. “It's playing with fire.”

    Jake doesn't agree. “Sometimes people are a bit rude,” he says, “but I just pay no attention to them. Most of the feedback（反馈）I get is pleasant and hopeful.” He goes on, “people reading other people's diaries is nothing new. My brothers used to secretly read my diary when we were kids. The only difference is this one is seen by a lot more people!”