Neither everything is meant to be shared nor everyone deserves to know everything about you… Especially your personal life!!!
We human beings live in various social circles. The closest blood relationships with parents, our siblings then relatives, neighbors and acquaintances, class fellows and work fellows as well. As a matter of fact, our behavior/attitude within each of our social circle is different; the level of closeness, esteem, and frankness varies from one group to the other. Not everything could be commonly shared between these social circles. Our maturity level and treatment of various people also get advanced with age. Whereas Social media keeps everyone at the same level giving the equal opportunities to all without the distinctions just explained, everyone is a ‘friend’ on social media. In my humble opinion, there can never be such a separation of our relationships levels on social media due to its domain, which is an unnatural thing.
Social media has revolutionized the process of human interaction and wonders can happen with a touch of a finger. In our daily lives today, we often give references of events encountered on the social media posts and discussions undergone on various topics. The whole world can look into what you have shared and what are your views. However, most of us are not very good in setting up our privacy up to reasonable extent thus live vulnerable online life. Therefore, the amount of damage is immeasurable due to unintended mistakes. Even if you setup privacy, you can never be sure of how far your activities may reach!
Today, we share our social gatherings with friends and families. We cannot travel without sharing updated status, we have to tell the whole world what food we are eating, where and with whom to digest it properly. All of this is meaningless to many others but they have access to all our personal activities. What is the need for showing your new house or expensive car to the world? What about those who cannot afford to travel, or eat such expensive food. Why post fake smiles, who are we making a fool?
Most crucial part comes in when people share their family lives. Is there really a need for sharing wedding pictures of you and your extended family with everyone? Sharing honeymoon travel and pictures, is it obligatory? Personal relationships between Husband and wife are an extremely private thing; why people forget this and share private pictures and emotions openly. Above all, facing various questions even from irrelevant persons about your personal life, which could be avoided if you had used the sharing buttons wisely. Are likes that much important to us? I am unable to understand why people expose their life partners to the whole world. One of the issues of sharing too much can be that you are providing people with chances to comment on your personal lives. When you are sharing your happy lives openly, bear in mind that the factor of “Nazr-e-Badd”/ jealousy also comes into play as a bitter reality.
One related thing that comes to mind is that free-mixing was never that easy before which now has new dimensions. Even stranger Male and Females can add each other, talk freely; you can see anyone personal pictures and videos as they upload their stories. Often same people in real life claim to be preserving to strangers and obeying veil while on street; they should think for a second that their pictures and videos can also damage their modesty and could go in hands the exploiters. Up to 1990’s, it was considered an out of world thing to get a picture or number of girls but now both things are available on fingertips. Have the moral values of society changed altogether?
That reticence/parda between our various social circles is very important and should be kept in mind while doing anything on social media. I know many of wise people who are very selective in what they share and some do not share even a single-family picture on social media channels. Some people have even left this online world to live a content life with their family. Technology has given us chances to keep our things more private such as sharing the personal items within relevant groups through WhatsApp messenger, which is far better than sharing it openly and loudly on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
My sincere suggestion to all is that please think many times before you share. Do not expose yourself too much because you never know real intentions of others; please do not become a joke. Although Facebook has introduced blocking options I have experienced that this is not helpful all the time because all of your contacts would not have applied same filters. The media entices you to share your feelings and you can become a prey anytime to share un-necessary items. It is easy to share but it’s almost difficult to wipe out your web footprint. Preserving our cultural values should be an integral part of our efforts for a safe future.
