What do the internet and the phrase ‘too much information’ have in common? Everything. The biggest cause of anti-social behavior online? A lack of boundaries.
According to a peer-reviewed study carried out by Princeton and Freie Universität researchers, we spend approximately 30 percent of face-to-face conversations talking about ourselves, whereas this number jumps to 80 percent online.
The lack of social cues like apoplectic faces; lobotomized stares and raised eyebrows makes it easier for us to go rogue with a narcissistic monologue or way-too-personal information.
Nothing warrants an ‘unfollow’ more than conspicuous oversharing. In the interests of proper selfie etiquette, it’s therefore advisable to find your filter – not those on your social media apps but rather the one on your pesky trigger finger. Give yourself a privacy calorie count – a daily posting cap to keep you from overindulging. Make like porridge and operate a slow-release policy. A selfie fest only puts others in a carb coma.
If in doubt, remember: behave the same online as you would offline. In other words, don’t dominate the virtual airspace with a one-sided conversation. And put the skids on self-disclosure while you’re at it. Ask yourself ‘why’ before you go TMI.
Originally published at annmarieoconnor.me