Too late to get out

Once you start using social media, you can never stop. It is human nature to want to show off and get compliments, even if they are not true. It is a way for people to feel satisfied. I think it has a negative impact on individuals and relationships, rather than on society as a whole. A person only lives a life to show off to others. They do not live in the moment. They always have a feeling of dependence and wonder what people think of them. It might also be a way for them to escape reality or to relieve one’s stress. I don’t think it does that much harm because it has a positive side to it as well. However, I still think it is better not to share one’s private life on social media.

From Ms Siwar Khalifa

France

Open for everyone

The moment you are on Facebook, you’re sharing things: the online experience you have, all of it! That’s why you start seeing advertisements related to your preferences and interests. There is nothing that you have not shared anyway.

From Mr Angelito Araneta

UAE

Place for predators

Firstly, social media is a hub for all kinds of predators. Not everyone who follows you or likes your posts really means it. You will get those people who will secretly pretend to like you, but they truly hate your lifestyle and are looking for the right opportunity to harm you. I never understand why people have to publicise their personal life on social media. It’s either that they are lonely or are desperate for friends and attention.

From Ms Cassandra Debbie Sandra Jr

UAE

Positives and negatives

Your whole life is exposed the moment you are on social media. But I don’t think it has a negative impact on one’s life. Though this may vary from person to person, there’s definitely nothing wrong with over-sharing information in my eyes. We see hundreds and walk through thousands of people every day, without batting an eye. Aren’t you interested to know the life of at least one of them? The fact that they are people like us, fills me with the thought that there might be thousands of untold stories waiting to be heard. To me, it’s a good opportunity to examine the varying ways us humans might react to certain situations. If someone overshares information, don’t feel annoyed by it. Take the opportunity to view this avatar in front of you and examine their life, as they project it through posts, pictures and status updates. It’s a good exercise, and may help you practice empathy. When you delve deeper and try to examine the person, you piece them together. It’s an honour for me to be on the receiving end of this.

From Mr Philip Jeremiah

UAE

A tool to share information

My view on this is that people should share things that truly matter to them, whether it is good food or an outdoor experience. Sharing such information does not put one in the category of ‘showing off’. It is good to share such information for all those people who are planning to go to those places. It creates an interest among people who are confused about what to do and where to go. My main intention is to inspire people to make use of all the thrilling things happening around and to make life a celebration of every moment. Viewing movies also has the same effect as opinions are based on the reviews received in the comments section of posts.

From Ms Rajeswari Nandeeswar

UAE

Destroys relationships

Yes, it has a negative impact on people. It can destroy relationships, married life, student life and someone’s personal life. This is because people nowadays focus a lot on social media. They give more of their time to social media, rather than giving it to their family or loved ones. Maybe they are unaware that this affects their minds and health.

From Ms Habibti Khawtar

UAE

Depends on posts

Yes, to some extent, oversharing has its own negative effects. As a user, when you see someone’s post that is positive and creative, time is spent to explore it. However, when you see lots of posts from a single user within a day, then it’s irritating.

From Mr Sattar Riaz

Waste of time

These days, sharing information on social media sites has become an obsession for everyone. The real meaning of life has vanished now. Instead of enjoying their relationships and their life, people immediately go live on Facebook, or share pictures on social media sites and then wait for likes. Oversharing definitely has a negative impact. Oversharing of information is a waste of time.

From Ms Rinky Vasudev Gupta

UAE

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