Stop Oversharing! Social Media is Not a Safe Place to Unload Personal Issues

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – Oversharing, or the habit of sharing excessive personal information on social media, is considered to have negative impacts on both oneself and others. This is illustrated by the case of Dwi Sasetyaningtyas, whose post regarding her child’s citizenship status sparked public criticism and caused her husband to have to return LPDP funds.

What causes people to overshare? Professor of Psychology from the University of Indonesia, Prof. Rose Mini Agoes Salim, said that psychologically, humans have a need to express their emotions or pent-up feelings, which is known as catharsis. When someone does not have a safe space to talk, social media is often used as an outlet.

“Humans need the ability to express their feelings. In psychology, this is called catharsis. When they don’t have a place to talk, social media becomes a platform to express their worries and personal experiences,” said Prof. Rose when contacted by Republika, Wednesday (25/2/2026).

However, Prof. Rose reminded that every piece of information shared with the public will inevitably generate both pros and cons. There will be those who agree, but there will also be many who have different perceptions or even dislike the post.

Therefore, she advises social media users to think carefully before sharing something, especially if it concerns very personal or sensitive matters such as religion, ethnicity, customs, or views that could potentially spark debate. “There’s a saying, ‘think before you share.’ Especially when it comes to sensitive issues, it’s important to consider the impact. Will this hurt others or have a wider impact?” she said.

To avoid oversharing, Prof. Rose suggests that each social media user first consider what they want to convey. For example, creating a script or outline before speaking in public can help control oneself.