JUST ABOUT everyone uses social media for a variety of reasons, including to post photos, share their feelings, to catch up on the news or to see what others are up to.
While its appeal includes being a simple and useful platform, some of our online habits may unintentionally be rubbing others the wrong way.
This week, Metro Online (www.thestar.com.my/metro) shares a non-exhaustive list of annoying habits that we may be guilty of, in no particular order.
1. Not thinking before sharing
Recklessly sharing information online when one has no way of verifying its credibility can do more harm than good.
Some old news may resurface from time to time and there are others who take pleasure in misinforming the public by posting false news, such as a death of a celebrity.
It is a challenge to identify what is real and what isn’t.
A general rule of thumb is to question what you read and see online. If in doubt, don’t share at all.
2. Posting daily selfies
Few would bat an eyelid at the occasional selfie but eye-rolling will happen when one’s newsfeed sees a constant stream of a friend’s face.
Some may argue that it is their prerogative to post harmless photos of themselves but no one needs a daily reminder of what you look like.
3. Constant status updates
Everyone wants a platform to be heard and social media is the way to go. However, constant updates throughout the day can get annoying for some, more so when they are mundane or overly negative, such as bemoaning certain aspects of one’s life or criticising others, including family members and colleagues.
Remember that not all our thoughts are gems and limiting these status updates can be a good thing.
4. Couples who are overly affectionate online
“Despite working until 11pm, my boyfriend drove to my house just so he could give me a hug before heading back home,” or “My girlfriend spent the whole afternoon baking my favourite goodies.”
Are you guilty of frequent online displays of affection?
It’s okay to share particularly sweet gestures occasionally but to do so in front of your 400 Facebook friends several times a day can be too much.
5. Parents who overshare information on their kids
Children are the pride and joy of parents and it is only natural to share pictures or anecdotes of the funny things that they say or do with friends. However, frequent postings with up-to-the-minute details of your child’s day is unneccessary.
It’s fine to share particularly funny or cute occurrences but for everything else, you may want to save it for your close family members.
6. Incessantly posting photos of food and drinks
An annoying craze that many of us may be guilty of committing is religiously photographing our food and fancy coffee art.
We hit cafes and eateries that serve Instagram-worthy grub but not everybody cares about what you may be eating in that moment. Appetising food that fill up our newsfeeds can get annoying — more so when one is on a diet.
7. The fitness enthusiast show-off
From constantly sharing a screenshot of your runs and workout summary to posting daily gym selfies or your latest workout gear, this is undoubtedly another irritating trend.
While healthy living is what we should aim to incorporate into our lives, showing off your activities may not necessarily inspire others to do the same. Conversely, it can come across as boastful or narcissistic.
8. People who hashtag too much
Hashtags are useful when one needs to find trending topics or search for matters of interest. Unfortunately, too many people abuse them. Not every post deserves a hashtag and too many hashtags can get annoying.
Further aggravating your peers is the use of hashtags that are unrelated to your post. Do your friends a favour by keeping it relevant.
9. Posting too many motivational quotes
Everyone needs a boost from time to time and motivational quotes can help pick us up when we are feeling down. While such quotes can serve as a good reminder for us to get going in life, a constant flood of these messages can eventually lose its impact. You may see less likes, shares, retweets or favourites in due time.
10. People who check in everywhere
Some of us are obsessed with letting people know our whereabouts by “checking in” on social media in real-time. If you have an open account, you are not only opening the door to the public to see what you are up to, but it is an invitation for predators to stalk you. If you must, check in only after you have left the location.
