We are living through the information age, but sometimes it feels like the age of too much information. With 24-hour news, fantasy sports updates, and most of all, social media bombarding us, there’s a non-stop barrage of data coming from our phones and computers.
Luckily, we can all do our part to lessen this phenomenon. By not oversharing on social media, we can preserve intimacy with our real life friends and loved ones. Not many people can resist sharing an occasional photo of their significant other, but here are some things to watch out for.
1. Veiled Insults to Your Partner
This one seems obvious, right? Unfortunately, in the heat of the moment people can go public with their squabbles. That means that once you’ve made up with your partner, your friends and families still remember the negativity and associate it with your partner. And that’s not a good thing.
Always resist the temptation to post to social media when you are upset, especially if it’s about someone you care about. It’s too hard to take back words once you’ve made them public.
2. Selfies of Smooches
You’ve heard the saying “Don’t kiss and tell.” Well, don’t kiss and show either. There are a number of things that make people uncomfortable about seeing their friend smooching.
For one, it cheapens the moment you’ve shared with someone if you feel the need to document and share it instead of fully experiencing it. Two, it can come off as bragging and make those who aren’t so lucky in love feel bad.
If you need a third reason, think about how you may not have the same partner a year from now. But that smooching selfie will still be hanging around the internet waiting to cause problems with your new love.
3. Personal Details About Your Partner
You may find it adorable that your partner drools when he sleeps, but sharing that information with all of your friends could really embarrass him. If you let something slip in front of a table of people, it can be bad enough. Sharing an intimate detail with hundreds of people (any one of which could share that information with more people) is a disaster waiting to happen.
If your partner does something that is so cute, you can hardly bear it, try something old-fashioned. Call your mom or best friend and tell them how much you love your partner. They’ll be thrilled to get a call and you’ll be able to share this positive news with someone else you care about. It’s a win-win, and it’s much less likely to embarrass the person you adore.
4. News of Your Breakup
Even if you’ve already burned every bridge with your partner, it’s still not a good idea to post about your breakup on social media. You can change your status and that will let everyone know the basic news, without making people uncomfortable.
If you share the details, you can make everyone who reads it feel awkward. You’re also setting yourself up for your ex to post negative things about you.
The best rule to go by is when in doubt, don’t post. You’ll seldom regret not having shared something, but oversharing can be embarrassing and hard to get over. If you have to share details with someone, give a friend a call.
