As we are spoilt with choices for social media platforms, it’s unsurprising if many of us are experts in navigating through multiple social media accounts. However, the real question isn’t how proficient we are in managing multiple social media accounts, be it personally or professionally. It’s a question if we’re sharing too much across our social media accounts. That’s why it’s time we take a comprehensive look at how much we’re sharing and the consequences that may follow.
You Never Know How May Be Lurking Behind The Screen
Scammers, paedophiles and stalkers; these are some suspicious individuals who may be monitoring or devouring the information you share online, in hopes of feeding their evil misdeed. But, don’t take our word for it.
A mother of three, who would like to be known as Daisy, mentioned that she had the fright of her life when she discovered that her 7-year-old daughter was stalked by a suspected paedophile. “From the day my daughter was born up to she turned 5 years old, I often shared her pictures on Instagram, complete with her own hashtag,” she recalled and emphasised that her actions stem from her desire to document her child’s growth as well as her motherhood journey.
But, she has ceased from sharing pictures of her daughter on Instagram after she spotted a man often lingering outside her daughter’s pre-school, after she noticed that the same man often commented on her daughter’s images. “After I confided in my husband, he confronted the man, changed schools and we agreed to stop sharing our daughter’s pictures on social media,” she relayed.
While Daisy managed to take immediate actions, others are not so lucky. Alif, who is engaged to a social media influencer, mentioned that he became the target of his fiancées’ many admirers. “I’ve been stalked and harassed. These stalkers would threaten me and tell me how they’re a better man for my fiancee,” and added that because he often tagged his location on his social media, regardless if it’s a throwback image, his perpetrators managed to pinpoint his favourite hangout spots.
Even if his intentions were to promote the eatery, he soon realised that some individuals are able to track his the neighbourhood or area he frequents by observing small details such as “looking at where most of the places I eat are located at, or stalk my peers’ social media account to track my social movements,” he deduced and stressed that his ordeal is infinitesimal compared to many others.
Mariah, similarly echoed that some individuals do have it worse — like her sister. Mariah mentioned that her elder sister was an avid social media user, where she often shared where she dined, what she purchased, where she travelled to and with whom. “In summary, the things she shared on social media depicted her lifestyle and her wealth status, which made her an easy target for scammers,” she opined. It turns out, these scammers were able to scam Mariah’s sister out of thousands by appealing to her interests.
“Because my sister made it obvious that she is interested in vintage handbags, shoes and watches, these scammers set up a website that claimed to auction vintage luxury goods,” and conveyed that a scam never crossed her sisters’ mind as throughout her 35-years, she has never fallen victim to such misfortune. But, letting her guard down proved to be costly as she bid close to RM20,000 on a vintage Patek Philippe watch and as soon as she made the payment, the website disappeared.
“I think it taught her a lesson to not be an overshare, because clearly, the littlest detail can be used to trap you or used against you,” Mariah communicated.
What Type Of Information Should We Refrain From Sharing
We do acknowledge that we live in an age where many have the need to document their experience and life and share it on social media for keepsake purposes. However, it doesn’t diminish the fact that sometimes, oversharing on social media can welcome perilous consequences.
In fact, a criminologist lecturer from a private university in Kuala Lumpur shared that the more information we share on social media, the easier it would be for anyone to piece together to pieces and learn more of your identity, families, friend or background. “Obviously we should never share our private information such as our I/C numbers, address, phone numbers and bank account number. But, private information such as medical history, who you’re related to are or even which schools our kids attend to, are discouraged from sharing across social media as it will only make it that much easier for people to piece you together,” the lecturer highlighted.
As someone who believes that social media is vital in today’s age for the purpose of networking and staying connected, the lecturer advised that the key is moderation and mindfulness. “I have children, so I understand that the excitement to share sometimes can cloud our judgment. That’s why it’s best for us to think before sharing anything on social media. Ask yourself, will this information or image have any impact on me or my loved ones? Will it impact my career growth? Will it jeopardize my security or privacy?,” the lecturer listed.
Additionally, the lecturer pointed out that some software programmes are designed to extract the metadata embedded in our images, which will enable them to figure out your location and advised to be wary of quizzes and games as sometimes they are used to gather your data and obtain your IP address. “The bottom line is for us to always be wary before we hit any upload, submit or agree button,” the lecturer conveyed.
Netizens, Be On Your Guard
It cannot be denied that social media has become an essential part of our life, even more so during a pandemic. On that note, let’s be reminded to be cautious of the information we share across our social media and to always be wary of conversing with strangers on any platform.
Stay safe, everyone.
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