The internet has turned all of us into storytellers. Our meals, our travels, our outfits—even our cat’s mood—end up framed neatly for the world to see. A photo here, a reel there, a caption with late-night musings. Sharing is second nature now. It connects us, entertains us, and sometimes even heals us.
But as the Malay saying goes:
“Terlajak perahu boleh diundur, terlajak kata buruk padahnya.”
Oversharing online is exactly that: words and images that cannot be pulled back once released. And the danger lies not only in what we say, but in what we reveal without meaning to.
Why do we overshare so easily? Because social media tricks us into thinking strangers are friends. The ones who like, comment, or silently scroll through our posts start to feel familiar. Their support gives us comfort. And in that comfort, we let our guard down. We speak freely, forgetting that the person behind the screen is not the friend they appear to be.
The Quiet Dangers of Oversharing
Let’s break down how this plays out in real life.
Travel Announcements: A Free Invitation
Imagine posting:
“Finally back in Singapore after two weeks in Tokyo! Sushi overdose but worth it!”
It looks like an innocent travel update. But what you’ve just told the world is that your house was empty for two whole weeks. If anyone had been quietly tracking your posts (“Day 3: Shibuya crossing!” “Day 10: DisneySea!”), they already knew your home was unattended.
In the U.K., families have returned from sunny holidays to find their homes ransacked, all because burglars saw their cheerful updates. Like the proverb says:
Background Clues: The Silent Leak
A quick TikTok in your living room. Nothing more than a fun dance. But in the corner of your video, there’s a delivery box with your address half-visible. Or maybe your condo’s towel with the logo casually draped behind you.
To most people, it’s just background clutter. But to someone observant, it’s a map.
This is where Runner Kao became famous: by showing how simple it is to track someone’s filming location through background details. A lamppost. A railing. The angle of sunlight. What seems invisible to us is glaring to those who know what to look for.
It’s a modern echo of an old reminder:
“Sedikit-sedikit, lama-lama jadi bukit.”
Each small detail, harmless alone, adds up to a dangerous revelation.
Routine Exposure: The Predictable Trap
Every Saturday, you post your jogging selfies at East Coast Park. Same route, same timing. To friends, it’s motivational. But to a stalker, it’s a weekly calendar.
This has happened before. A U.S. fitness influencer was tracked by a stalker who studied her running app data. He didn’t hack anything; he simply watched.
Patterns create predictability. And predictability makes you vulnerable.
Or as the pantun reminds us:
Berjalan jauh di tengah kota,
Singgah sebentar beli makanan.
Kalau terlalu banyak cerita,
Tak sedar bahaya datang perlahan.
Folktales as Warnings: Bawang Putih Bawang Merah
Our stories carry wisdom, if we listen closely. In the folktale of Bawang Putih Bawang Merah, the stepsister Bawang Merah is always alert, waiting for any slip from Bawang Putih to twist against her.
Bawang Putih’s openness—her honesty, her willingness to reveal—was constantly exploited.
Isn’t that just like oversharing today? You think you’re among friends, but someone could be lurking, waiting for that detail to use against you.
In this way, the folktale is less about jealousy and more about vigilance: not every ear deserves your story, and not every follower deserves your truth.
The Subtle Signs We Miss
Oversharing isn’t just about dramatic confessions. It’s in the everyday details:
- Posting your Starbucks cup with your name.
- A selfie that shows your school badge.
- Street signs or MRT station exits in the corner of a vlog.
- Tagging your workplace in your IG story.
Like the proverb goes:
“Jangan sampai nasi menjadi bubur.”
Once shared, these details can’t be undone.
How to Be Sociable, Hip, and Still Safe
So does this mean we should all vanish offline? Of course not. Being online is fun, and for many, it’s even part of work. The solution isn’t silence—it’s mindfulness.
Here’s how you can stay vibrant without oversharing:
- Post After You Leave
Share your café brunch after you’ve already left. It keeps the vibe alive without giving away your live location. - Crop, Blur, Frame Smart
Train your eye for backgrounds. Before posting, ask: does this reveal too much? - Use Broad Tags
Instead of tagging “Blk 123, Tampines Ave 4,” tag “East side vibes.” Friends will get it, strangers won’t. - Curate Your Audience
Use Close Friends lists, private groups, or separate accounts. Not every follower deserves your unfiltered life. - Break Your Patterns
Don’t make yourself too predictable. Change posting times, skip some updates. Keep them guessing.
To borrow another pantun:
Pagi hari makan kelapa,
Sambil menenun sehelai sutera.
Kalau rahsia selalu dijaga,
Minda tenang, hati sejahtera.
Closing Thoughts
The internet is like a pasar malam—vibrant, noisy, full of strangers who feel like friends. But not everyone in the crowd has good intentions. To enjoy it, we must be wise traders of our stories.
Oversharing doesn’t make us more authentic; it makes us more exposed. And being cautious doesn’t make us dull; it makes us resilient.
As long as we remember that, we can continue to be sociable, hip, and authentic—without handing over our safety in the process.
Written by: Adi Jamaludin
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