People have become too comfortable on the internet. Gone are the days where there were constant warnings of stranger danger and scams. Now, many individuals are posting everything that comes to their minds without a care for their digital footprint. People scrolling through the internet often become victims to these careless posts, cursed with knowledge they would have been better off not knowing.
In addition, many are sharing information that they are too scared to tell their families, but are willing to share with millions of strangers online. Influencers share family scandals and dramas. People post about their traumatic experiences in comment sections. Friends you know vent about their personal feelings in their Instagram stories. While this can be entertaining to read, sometimes it’s better for this information to be kept private.
I believe people underestimate the permanence of the internet— anything posted there is memorialized forever, no matter if it’s deleted or not.
A simple solution to prevent such oversharing of personal dilemmas is to bring back diaries or any sort of physical journal. People should have an avenue to vent their feelings, but still keep them personal. If you don’t like the idea of writing down your thoughts, tell a friend,in person preferably, or record a voice memo of yourself just ranting. Keep your intrusive thoughts between yourself and your notes app. You don’t need to share everything to the world; maintain some level of privacy to yourself.
I’m not saying that people shouldn’t be sharing their experiences online. In fact, I think it could be important. Sharing your life experiences can help other viewers feel seen or help them understand different walks of life. Seeing someone talk about their toxic household and how they gained independence could help save someone’s life. A video about someone getting her period could help educate others.
There should be some sort of boundary to what should and should not be posted online for all to see. I think a good rule of thumb would be not to post anything that you wouldn’t tell a stranger in real life. If there is a topic you wouldn’t discuss with a new person you just met, then maybe you shouldn’t be posting it on the internet.
We have entered an age in which people are comfortable with setting up a camera, saying whatever comes to mind, and posting their ideas for millions of strangers to hear. Because of the lack of face-to-face interaction, people aren’t held accountable for their actions. Therefore people have the confidence to share information online but would lack the same courage to do it in person. They often don’t think twice or feel shame about what they post online. I would rather not open any app and hear graphic detail about information that I would be too weirded out to even think about . While I am horrified and vaguely curious, I think the world will continue on if this information isn’t shared to the public.
