The Dangers of Oversharing Online
Oct 02, 2024By: Isabella Johnson, Seasonal Public Relations Intern | Digital4Good
Did you know there are over 246 million active social media users in the United States alone? With every passing year, this number grows even larger. Many people use social media to stay connected with family and friends. What they don’t realize, however, is who else can see their posts.
Oversharing has become a major problem on social media in recent years, and with threats like doxxing and cyberstalking on the rise, it’s more crucial than ever to be mindful of what you post online.
But how do you know when you’ve crossed that line between sharing and oversharing on social media?
Are You Oversharing?
Posting an online shopping haul may seem harmless — until you realize that you’ve posted your entire address to the Internet!
When engaging on social media, it is important to prioritize your safety and privacy over likes and follower counts. Even if you delete a post, social media platforms have backup and data recovery systems. Social media posts can also be screenshotted and shared with strangers.
Let’s take a look at three seemingly harmless behaviors that may be putting your privacy at risk.
Risky Behaviors
- Enabling Location: Geotagging photos or allowing an app like Snapchat to share your location can make it easier for strangers to locate you.
- Sharing Personal Information: Social media is often used as an outlet to vent about everyday struggles. However, when these posts are made public, they can have undesirable consequences at work or school. At work, you may get written up or even terminated for complaining about your job or boss. At school, an online rant about a classmate may spark drama and rumors among other students.
- Posting About School: Showing school spirit isn’t a bad thing on its own, but on a public social media account, it may cause you more harm than good. Posting a photo of yourself in your school gear can make it easier for strangers to find you — all they need is your school’s mascot or team name.
Why Is Oversharing Harmful?
Cyberstalking
Cyberstalking is a form of harassment that involves stalking a victim through digital means. A cyberstalker can look through any of your social media accounts to find personal information like your recent locations, the school you attend, and your workplace.
Reputation
Coworkers and employers may base their perception of you on what they see online. Certain employers are required to check candidates’ social media accounts before making a hiring decision. A candidate can even be rejected if their social profile does not meet a certain level of professionalism.
Identity Theft
With access to full names, birthdates, and family member information, identity thieves can exploit your identity to commit extortion and fraud.
Digital Footprint
A digital footprint is the data trail a user leaves when browsing the Internet. This data trail includes sent emails, content posted online, and websites visited.
How To Avoid Oversharing
- Make Your Profile Private: By setting your social media account to private, you control who can see your account and interact with your posts.
- Review Your Privacy Settings: Social media platforms update their privacy settings and terms frequently. It is important to review them often to protect your digital privacy and safety.
- Create Strong Passwords: When setting a password, use at least 12 characters and alternate between lower and uppercase letters.
- Be Mindful When Posting: Before you post, consider whether you would want your teachers or future employers to see what you wrote. Remember, even if you delete a post, it can still be recovered or screenshotted.
Think Before You Post
When it comes to posting on social media, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Oversharing can potentially lead to threats like cyberstalking, harassment, security risks, and reputation damage. Hitting “delete” on a post doesn’t always mean it’s gone for good.
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