After reading this article, I did see the ramifications of oversharing on the internet especially in social networks (i.e. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter). There are always stories about people killing themselves because they got bullied, they got fired because of what they had posted on Facebook or identities were stolen. I do agree with this article that what you put on the internet it’s forever and for all to see.
But I think by now, there should be a proper protocol or an unspoken etiquette as to how and what to share on the internet. If you don’t like your job, then don’t befriend people at work, so the need to vent out your frustrations on your status section won’t be blasted at your workplace. Always be vigilant with those tags that are associated to you or photos you’ve put up. Use every private function the social network has. No one is who they say they are on the internet so always be friends with people you actually know (some people like “idealized personalities” rather than the truth). Don’t share where you are every second of the day or if you’re going on vacation, in terms of etiquette (no one really needs to know everything that you’re doing) and security.
In a society where people only take stock in negative feedback rather than good, it’s just a matter of common sense and personal responsibility to figure out what to share on the internet. I personally don’t think teenagers should be on it necessarily because they don’t really understand the consequences of their actions and they always end up ruining their reputation or others. Things get out of hand pretty easily especially when it involves the world wide web (hence the name) so it’s best to filter what a person decides to publicize.
To sum up, what it boils down to is responsibility. I do agree that the web doesn’t forget due to the fact that when we use it, doesn’t matter whether it’s social networking or research, we leave a digital footprint of ourselves and therefore we should be more vigilant as to what we expose.
Comments!