Are We Done With 'Over-Sharing' On Social Media?

Recently retired Instamodel Essena O’Neill made a splash with her claim that “social media is not real life.” We asked our members if this is the end of over-sharing.

Social media is revolutionary. World-changing. Wide-ranging. Ground-breaking.

There is no doubt it’s a powerful tool that makes an immense difference to both our online and real-life worlds. Social media can be a wonderful, enjoyable and extremely useful tool that encourages users to communicate with, inspire and educate others across the globe.

Unfortunately though, just as easily, social media can be a detriment rather than a benefit. It can encourage people to become dissatisfied with their own lives due to the perception of others’ seemingly immaculate lives flooding through their feeds each day (each hour, each minute, each second).

This view of social media as a detriment directly correlates with the recent news that teen model, Essena O’Neill, has decided to quit her Instagram, as she believes, “social media is not real life.”

And truly, regardless of O’Neill’s controversial – or not - action, this statement could not be more accurate.

Social media can be exceedingly deceptive, as users have the ability to ‘pick and choose’ what they upload for others to see. Furthermore, they are able to choose what they do with the content they have uploaded, specifically in regards to editing: filters may be added, blemishes may be erased and thinning effects may be applied.

The deceptiveness of social media, including the ability to selectively choose your content and its editing, undoubtedly contributes to the already growing issues of poor body image around the world. O’Neill even tearfully admitted she’d deceived her half a million followers and begged them to not be ‘deluded’ by what they have seen.

Besides this evident issue, there is another: that users feel almost obliged to post and share content as a method of competing with others; perhaps to stay relevant, or to feel better about themselves.

Rather than understanding that this is a real and serious issue, users are instead feeling the need to compete with the supposed idealistic lives of those they follow online.

It is becoming more and more difficult to see people interacting with each other through real, personal connections as they are preoccupied with constant over-posting and over-sharing rather than being present and enjoying the real-life company with those surrounding them.

Over-sharing on social media is a real and current issue. It takes many people to make a real difference, but the benefits of change are extremely worth it: fewer self-esteem issues and heightened real-life connections across the globe. So, reconsider - or at least think carefully - about that next post.

Congratulations to Jessica for winning this writing challenge, answering: Are We Done With 'Over-Sharing' On Social Media? Jessica wins a $50 Westfield gift card for her submission. For your chance to win, check out our latest writing challenges in our Comps section. Also, be sure to follow this guide on how to win the writing challenge!