Personal life and the internet... how much sharing is actually healthy?

[Aquarius]

Sometimes I think I am sharing waaaay too much personal information with the internet.
But then again, I rightnow consider starting a whole blog about my personal life.
Of course I'm kinda scared, but when you look around the internet, you find thousands and millions of people doing exactly this.

I really wonder where the fine line is going, which one shouldn't cross, in order to be able to still move safely. The internet is full of dangers as we all know.

Of course one has to become really famous in order to be recognized by random people in town (fans and haters alike), but of course I don't know how good I could deal with real life people discovering what I share / going to share online, even if "only" family members or existing friends find out (no, I am not going to share nude pics).

I really feel the wish to blog and vlog about my personal life, my story, my issues, my new positive experiences, my thoughts... but at the same time I become kind of hesitant.
Though some might say "don't think about it too much, just do it".

Why I want to do it? First, for myself, as a protocol and a motivator to change my life to the better. Second, to share it. But again, the sharing factor, I see it as a motivator for myself. I am not gonna do anything for fame (as if), but just for myself... and maybe to meet interesting people through it.

But how "safe" is it really to share one's personal story online? What realistic dangers exist? Are - for example - popular youtubers or bloggers actually depending on bodyguards?

What precautions do you suggest keeping in mind?

[artyboy]

Sounds like to much facebook lol?

[LONDONER]

Personally I just wouldn't share my personal (or even non-personal) information on line. You should ask yourself why would you want to share that information for all the world and his wife to see? You say yourself that there are all sorts of dangers on the Internet so why expeose yourself to them? I'm one of those people who refuses to use Facebook or Twitter or any other social media apart from GS of course but those who know my posts know that I don't post personal information about myself. If via GS someone writes me a private message and asks me something about myself, more than likely I will reply, but share that information with thousands if not millions of strangers, no way!

[mertanon]

Seemingly i love the CIA...

[InbetweenDreams]

Well one piece of advice is to not use the same user name over different websites and services.

[deephiance]

Big Brother...and I don't mean the TV reality show....seriously, what isn't know about you is easy enough to find with the right resources.

[Pix]

Lots of people do this. The main thing I'd warn against is leaving up personal info so people know where you live. For example, many post to brag of their new possessions...and then post when they won't be home (including when they're on vacation). I know there are bands of thieves "shopping" via social media, I mean how could there not be? It's just too convenient. And plenty of "convenient" security systems for owners are just as convenient to criminals (there are so many ways to overcome those systems, some so easy that I think those who use them would literally be more secure without any electronic security system at all).

I personally wouldn't share my face and location. I had some bad experiences with stalkers, including one online trying to find out where I lived (and also a handful of death threats I shrugged off as I felt anonymous enough), but what really drove the point home was a brilliant speaker I saw on YT. It was obvious what college she went to and, of course, what she looked like (and her name, etc). So when she started getting death threats (and I believe at least one was real) she nuked her channel for obvious reasons. They knew what she looked like and how to find her...and she didn't know who THEY were, where they were, what they looked like, when they could strike. I'd say that as long as you don't get political or talk about religion that this is unlikely, but some people really hate gays, so maybe it's futile no matter how inoffensive you keep your content.

Of course you're going to get trolls no matter what, and the more well known you get (especially if many love you, which will just make you more attractive to trolls because they get to target so many people at the same time which is a thrill to th em) the more you will experience. Are you ready for that?



If I were personally going to share my life then I'd do it by vlog rather than blog, because that way can't imagine the worst possible tone of voice and hear something that you didn't intend at all. It won't stop all of it, but that can nip a lot of it in the bud. On the other hand, you're still going to have the trolls (and possibly worse).

[Cuddly]

Have you seen the video boogie2988 did in response to pewdiepie's video on forced positivity?

[InbetweenDreams]

Have you seen the video boogie2988 did in response to pewdiepie's video on forced positivity?

Actually raises some good points...in life really. Not really pertaining to videos, but if you're always down and and complaining about everything in life people don't want to be around that. Not saying to fake being happy and go lucky but like boogie was saying be balance. I mean if you're always cheerful 100% of the time some people are going to realize you're faking it.

[Aquarius]

Thanks [MENTION=14705]Pix[/MENTION] for the long and insightful comment.

I am still hesitating.
I can imagine using a fake name, I surely won't reveal my address, I will never post holiday pics when I'm currently away, but I don't think hiding my face will work as I am doing selfies on instagram and will surely have some overlap of the photos I will use on instagram and those on my blog. If I decide to vlog, my face will be there of course.

I also began with twitter, and when I also do youtube and - for example - tumblr, I should also crosslink, or use completely different names...
and that's where my insecurity begins.

Of course I wouldn't want to expose myself to stalkers and death threads.
I don't know if I could cope with that, I'm already taking less serious things to heart too quickly.

What gives me some security feeling is that I am planning to write in English, despite being German, and I'm living in a big city, in a highrise building with lots of other households. Also I don't intend to talk about politics. Religion, well, I would like to talk about what I personally believe, which is not reflecting any religion, but that would be rather the exception and not the rule.

And I really have this wish to reveal nearly all about myself to people who don't know me, because I have a very rare combination of topics which could be interesting for others, and going out with my story is probably needed to really change my life, but of course one can't choose his own followers and fans...