We live in a society where the boundaries of privacy begin to blur more generally. We're seeing an "uproar" over privacy concerns with social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Google. We also see more news reports about the dangers or sharing too much information about yourself.
Oversharing, especially in the social media context, is a relatively new concept. I think as we become more voyeuristic through television programs, we also become immune to the real dangers that are involved.
I don't like to harp on the physically hazardous effects of oversharing, I think the news does a fairly complete job at that. What I like to emphasize is the professional hazard of oversharing.
On her blog, Myshingle.com, Carolyn Elefant published a well-written blog post discussing some of the hazards clients have when they over-share personal information.
Recently, I dealt with a client whose "off-the-cuff" remark almost sunk their personal injury settlement. We had a rather unsuccessful turn of events between initial negotiations, mediation, and trial. I suspect that the client, like myself, was frustrated with the ordeal. In a split-second, the client posted a harsh, and perhaps spiteful, remark on a popular social networking site. The problem was, the opposing party's lawyers, like any diligent law firm, combed through the client's social media postings, and found the disparaging remark. I received a stern reminder letter from the opposing party regarding the client's actions. Note: despite what you may think, it's never fun for me to explain to a client why their actions jeopardized their claim.
The same caution applies to job searches and business-related issues. More and more employers use the internet to find out information about their employees and potential hires. I wrote a previous post (and this one) about this issue in employment situations. Remember, in Oklahoma, employers can and will fire an employee for actions or statements that reflect poorly on their business, and could succumb the company to legal action.
Finally, in an effort (and a short blurb about personal security) to protect your personal safety, oversharing could lead to thefts, assaults, or other attacks. If you're placing relevant travel information, personal private information, or other information about yourself, you're asking for trouble. Too often people disclose too much. Please minimize the amount of information you share, especially as it pertains to your home, identity, and locations throughout the universe.