Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started

The Thin Line Between Sharing And Oversharing

Posted byRenard MoreauPosted inBlogging, Blogging Tips, Electronics, People, Social MediaTags:, , , , , ,
Sky

It is without a doubt that a lot of people these days are in oversharing mode; they share every aspect of their lives on:

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • WhatsApp

It is as though they have voluntarily chosen to make their lives an online reality show for everyone to see.

How Much Should We Share About Ourselves?

The truth is that we are free to share as much information as we like with others about ourselves.

However, oversharing has its downsides; the information that we share can be used against us; for example, the person who posts about being at a party on social media is letting the criminal elements know that they are not at home and that they can come over to their house and burglarize it.

Do we need to let others know where we are and what it is that we are doing at all times?

Of course not!

Therefore, it would be in our best interest to operate discreetly.

We Bloggers Share A Lot About Ourselves Online Too

While it is okay for us to let our readers know which country and which town we live in, we would be taking things a bit too far if we provided them with our exact address.

If people knew exactly where you live, they could:

  • Come by your house unannounced.
  • Take pictures of you and your family without you knowing.
  • Stalk you if they are obsessed with you.

Providing people with too much information about you (which, in this case, is your address) is never a good thing for you to do.

You Might Be Giving Away More Information About Yourself Than You Realize

Do you use your smartphone to take pictures of things while you are at home for the purpose of uploading them to your blog?

A lot of you would have answered, “Yes,” because many of you use your smartphone to blog.

Do you know that your geographical location is added to your photos when your smartphone’s location is left on?

Yes, it is true, my friend; it becomes part of the metadata (So, please disable the location service on your smartphone before taking photos in the comfort of your home).

Kerry Wan’s article, How to Disable Location Services On Your Phone, will teach you how to disable location services on both Android and iOS.

Another great article that every blogger should read is How to Remove Metadata From Your Photos by Aimee O’Driscoll.

The sad truth is that many people are giving away more information about themselves than they realize.

Final Thoughts

It does not hurt one bit to play it safe online.

Always remember, that even though it is okay to give some information about yourself online, it is dangerous to give too much information about yourself online.

And, people should take off location services on their smartphones before taking pictures for the purpose of uploading them to their blogs.

Bloggers can even go the extra mile by removing the metadata from their photos before uploading them online.

One should never take their online safety for granted.

Advertisement

35 thoughts on “The Thin Line Between Sharing And Oversharing”

  4. This is what I find to be the hardest aspect of blogging, just how much personal information is safe to give. WordPress gives your IP address in the comments’ approval section. That sometimes stresses me. LOL

    Liked by 2 people

  7. One important thing people often overlook is leaving their birthdate visible to the public. Birthday in the USA is sensitive information that can be used to steal one’s identity. Some seemingly innocent posts that go around and people reply to, ask for the names of peoples first pets, cars etc. these are common security questions asked to retrieve passwords online. There are lots of ways to give out sensitive information without even thinking about it.

    Liked by 1 person

  10. It always amazes me how many people give their birth dates out when announcing a big birthday online. If you have your full name on your blog or any social media accounts, telling people you’re 40 today also gives thieves your date of birth.

    Liked by 3 people

  11. Wow! Great post, Renard! I’m not one to share much about myself but it seems my smartphone shares more about me than I feel comfortable with. I’m looking into this and using the links you provided.

    Liked by 2 people

  14. This was great information and for some maybe a reminder. I know there was one thing I need to fix. I personally am not into reading most over sharing so I can avoid looking for it. I have many other things that I spend time on.

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Indeed Renard one should safeguard himself or herself because if you share a lot about your life , well you are inviting drama since there are those who can use that information about you and gossip or label you as that especially if you share bad things like partying. I think there should be a limit, I only share fashion, my blogs and style in all my socials. Being mysterious counts sometimes and also a digital detox is needed, I have now decided to avoid WhatsApp till the rest of this month (the posting I mean)

    A break is needed because over sharing can destroy you without noticing💯💯👏

    Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.

%d bloggers like this: