Each of us has boundaries that we try not to cross and do not want others to violate. Our privacy is of great importance to us, even in the digital world. Nevertheless, for various reasons, these boundaries sometimes blur or even dissolve like fog. We start to reveal too many personal details from our lives and share them on social media. We cross these boundaries and encourage others to cross them as well.
Oversharing is a relatively new phenomenon in the digital world. It involves excessively disclosing facts about one's private life on digital platforms. Usually, these are photos, videos, and textual information about family, health, finances, and emotions. This behaviour is driven by several factors, is linked to digital narcissism, and is a contemporary phenomenon of digital culture. People are often tempted to share confidential aspects of their lives, ranging from ordinary daily events to their most intimate thoughts and feelings.
This behaviour shares many similarities with the characteristics of people with borderline personality disorder, but in a digital version. Such individuals are particularly sensitive to the judgment of others, feel a constant need for reassurance from friends about their feelings, struggle with the fear of rejection, have unstable interpersonal relationships, are overly dependent on others, and have unstable self-esteem.
One reason for oversharing is the desire for attention and the need to gain recognition from others. Sharing personal information can be an attempt to integrate one's emotions. Some people over-disclose private details, seeking validation and support from their network and online community. This is often accompanied by a lack of awareness of the consequences and the constant pressure present on social media. Oversharing can result in a loss of privacy and can also lead to psychological distress. Figuratively speaking, oversharing is handing others the keys to our emotional vaults; it is scattering the seeds of one's emotions on the uncertain soil of the Internet; it is a private emotional press agency.
In a globalised world where social media weaves us like spider webs, the phenomenon of oversharing is growing. Considering this, the need to protect online privacy becomes urgent. Education on safe internet use and awareness of the consequences of oversharing are like a shield, protecting us from the dangers of today's digital world.
“We invite you to the Communication Conference, which will be held from August 1-7, 2024, in Rome” is the exhortation coming from the Sector for Social Communication.
Ahead of the conference, the Facebook page and Instagram profile of ‘Shaping Tomorrow’ are already active.
