Oversharing On The Internet
If you’ve been on any type of social media lately, you know what I mean by oversharing has consumed the internet. What happened to stranger danger? Why do I know where a random person on TikTok has yoga class every Tuesday and Thursday? Why is your first, middle, and last name on Instagram?
Then again, I am just as guilty as the next person. It’s fun to overshare!
I love posting casually and putting my entire personality on the internet. It’s always nice to update your friends and family on what’s going on in your life. It doesn’t shock me at all when someone posts that they’re on a walk in their neighborhood, so why would it alarm anyone if I posted something similar?
But it isn’t normal for your whole life to be accessible to strangers. When you really think about it, it’s kinda weird. So, what makes the internet seem so safe to be posting your entire day and whereabouts? It wasn’t like that 10 years ago, so why is it like that now?
Growing up, you were told that all accounts are suspicious and could be posing as someone else. But now, people do not care whatsoever about internet safety. Now, if you can’t find someone’s full address and mother’s hometown, you’re hiding something.
There’s been a sense of trust that’s grown on the internet over the years. It’s not weird at all to have your school name in your public bio. In fact, it’s better that way. So I can know who you know and if we might’ve crossed paths. It’s cool to get a preview of a person before you meet them. That’s just the way it is. If I’m gonna meet you and I know your full name, I’m looking you up everywhere. I watch a trailer before committing to a full 2 hour movie, so why shouldn’t I preview a potential friendship?
At the end of the day, it comes down to the person. Whether you’re an open book or a person whose walls are up so high, it rivals the Chinese landmark. As for me, you’ll find me stalking random people on @User32421342. Just kidding… or am I?
In conclusion, this isn’t even really a warning or me trying to make you paranoid, I just think it’s interesting. If you want to be more careful though, maybe you should. After all, I am online and I already know your sister’s dog’s birthday.
