Thursday 08/01/15
Like it or not, social media has become a daily part of most people's lives. The positive aspect of this form of communication is that it lets us keep up-to-date with our friends and family. The downside is that you now have people sending you lots of (not so) funny pictures; and emergency alerts that are nothing more than urban legends.
Because social media tends to be an easy going environment, people make the mistake of oversharing. People love to post pictures of their birthday and Christmas presents, as well as other expensive toys they've purchased during the year. How often do you see these sorts of pictures in your own news feed? Perhaps you've posted a few yourself.
People also love to share travel plans, often well in advance of their holiday. Some might even post a daily countdown to share their excitement with everyone. Why not? You've worked long and hard to earn that holiday. Unfortunately, there is a sinister side to oversharing (especially this sort of information). Have you worked out what that is?
Over the course of the year, you have publically announced all the shiny new toys you have in your house, and told everyone when you'll be away from your house (and for how long). The worst offenders are those who make status updates from another town, interstate, or even from overseas. They've just told everyone that their home is unoccupied, and the owners are miles away.
Another downside to social media is that you have no control over who sees your posts. Even if you only share with a select few people, if one of those friends "likes" or "shares" your post, there's no end to who else can see it.
Did you just feel a little knot form in your stomach? Perhaps that was your subconscious telling you that you share too much information in the web. Remember, once you put something on the internet, it's there forever.