It is a part of life, a routine rather, for an individual to share aspects of their life and their beliefs and values on social media. Instagram is for perfectly filtered images and videos, Twitter is used to rant or vent, and Snapchat allows us to capture pictures letting others know where we are, who we’re with, and what super fun thing we’re doing. Facebook, however, that has become a battlefield in the midst of this messy political election.
We are all guilty of sharing way too much on many sites. In college, students post their whereabouts, who they are with, what they are thinking, and so forth. Individuals are seen on their phones, refreshing these media vessels, tuning out of the real world, and becoming instantly educated on other people’s lives. People fail to realize that posting too much can be risky and threatening.
Tommy Foye, a senior communication student, said “People are very interested in the lives of celebrities because of what they do and the money they can spend. It’s all interesting but can sometimes be too much, being that they are revealing too much to the public and are almost wanting the attention.”
It is the guilty pleasure of many fans and followers to watch and see what their favorite celebrity is up to, doing, and thinking. At the same token, celebrities break the privacy barrier, and post things that should be for their own private knowledge and eyes.
Providing information for others to see on an Instagram page, Twitter account, Facebook profile, or Snapchat story, is dangerous. People who are seeing these things are not always friends or trusted eyes. It crosses over the line of what should be personal, not public.
In the beginning of October, Kim Kardashian was robbed and held at gunpoint. The men took millions of dollars in jewelry, and scarred her for the rest of her life. Hours before the attack happened, she put up a Snapchat of her without her bodyguard or any company around, with precious jewels. She made this information public for thousands of her followers to see, and for the robbers to take advantage of. If they did not know she was alone, with the jewelry, there is a good chance it would have never happened.
Brian Foye, a senior communication student, said “I personally think celebrities share way too much in their lives. With these celebrities and reality stars having reality shows, like the Kardashians, it puts a target on them right from the start. Kim’s sister Khloe came out saying that her robbery was a newsflash on how much should be posted.”
The Kardashians put themselves in social media’s limelight. They post everything that is occurring in their lives, and show us on television. It had to take Kim being in a serious altercation to realize the harm they bring upon their family.
Social media is a huge part of our culture, but it needs to be tamed. Mary Harris, a specialist professor of communication, stated “As someone who does research, talks and workshops about social media use and safety, it is apparent that most social media users do post too much personal information online. This can be anything from real-time vacation photos to information about where their younger siblings or children go to school. It is important for all individuals to take a step back and ask themselves three basic questions: (1) Why am I sharing this? (2) Can anything negative result from sharing this? (3) Is this something safe to share that also has value?”
The proof is in the pudding. Posting too much on social media only creates harm. Be careful and always question why you should post an image or tweet and what the consequences can be down the road. Do we really need to post every detail of our lives? The less someone shares, the better. It is important to be safe, and keep personal lives, personal.
IMAGE TAKEN from Heightline.com
