The oversharing effect: Is social media tired of vulnerability and ‘radical honesty’?

Scroll through social media long enough, and in all likelihood you will find someone’s life unfolding in real time. A breakup explained through a string of videos; a carousel unpacking a relationship argument; a creator narrating a difficult conversation with a friend. For years, this confessional style of posting was framed as authenticity. Being open meant being relatable. But lately, the comments sections tell a slightly different story. Under deeply personal posts, the reaction is often blunt: this could have stayed private.

For some viewers, the discomfort comes from the scale of personal disclosure online. Mumbai-based media practitioner Akshada (who only uses one name), 25, says social media once felt like a place where people mostly shared highlights from their lives. Now, she often comes across posts revealing intimate details about relationships or personal conflicts. “For that validation on social media, they reveal the most intimate parts of their life,” she says. “And sometimes it involves other people who may not even want those details shared publicly.”

What concerns her most is how easily private lives become public narratives. It could be their partner, their parents or their family members, and it may not always be consensual. “Those lines blur when you’re trying to get validation online.” When that much information is shared in public, she adds, it also invites scrutiny. “Social media tends to be more negative than positive.”

Creators, however, say the decision to share personal stories is rarely as spontaneous as it appears online. Pune-based psychologist and creator Vedika Sukhatme, 29, says she still thinks of social media primarily as a workplace rather than a personal diary. “Authenticity doesn’t necessarily mean that I have to put my entire life out there,” she says. “I don’t have to sell myself out completely and ruin my privacy to be authentic.”

However, Sukhatme also believes audiences sometimes underestimate how harsh online responses can be. “Most times when you are vulnerable, people are actually a lot more ruthless and harsh about it rather than being empathetic,” she says. “That’s quite counter-intuitive.”

The tension between openness and privacy has become more visible as personal storytelling has expanded across platforms. Multi-part story times, dating diaries and emotional reflections often attract strong engagement. But the same posts can also spark irritation or ridicule. Earlier this year, an American creator known for giving dating advice posted a 21-part series about a relationship that had lasted only a few months. Instead of admiration, the videos triggered memes and a broader debate about oversharing.

VULNERABILITY AS CONTENT

For many viewers, the issue is not vulnerability itself but the way it unfolds publicly. “Sharing emotions isn’t wrong,” says Hyderabad-based analyst Saurav Agarwal, 30. “But putting every personal conflict online makes it uncomfortable for people watching. Anything that really matters should probably be handled privately rather than turned into public content.”

For creators, the challenge often lies in deciding when a story is ready to be shared. Kolkata-based creator Sristi Pradhan, 24, says she rarely posts about personal experiences while she is still living through them. “Content creation is storytelling, but it doesn’t mean every part of my life needs to be public,” she says. “I usually wait until I’ve processed something before deciding whether it belongs online.”

The pause, she says, helps maintain some distance between life and content. “The internet moves fast and what you post stays there. I prefer feeling the emotions deeply and privately first, and then deciding whether I want to talk about it.”

Researchers studying online self-disclosure have found that oversharing is often linked to psychological and social pressures rather than simple carelessness.

A 2022 study published in the American National Library of Medicine found that anxiety, attention-seeking behaviour and heavy social media use are associated with higher levels of oversharing online. The study, Oversharing on Social Media: Anxiety, Attention-Seeking, and Social Media Addiction Predict the Breadth and Depth of Sharing, found that people frequently revealed personal details in search of validation or connection, even when those disclosures could expose them to criticism or privacy risks.

THE INTIMACY ECONOMY

Especially for younger audiences, this precarious dynamic creates a complicated relationship with confessional content. Odisha-based psychology student Ananya Kar, 19, says personal storytelling online can sometimes make difficult topics easier to talk about. At the same time, the influencer ecosystem often rewards emotional intensity, whether real or forced. “Sometimes the storytelling feels genuine,” she says. “But other times it feels exaggerated because emotional content tends to get more engagement and visibility.”

Creators themselves say that their understanding of vulnerability has evolved alongside these expectations. Delhi-based creator Mitali Sharma, 23, says she once believed online honesty meant sharing experiences in real time. Over time, she realised that constant immediacy could make personal moments feel performative. “Vulnerability is about honesty with intention,” she says. “It’s not just about putting everything out there in the moment. Sometimes it makes more sense to reflect first and then decide whether it should be shared.”

Questions of trust add another layer to the conversation. In recent years, some influencers have faced criticism for asking followers to help fund medical treatments or personal emergencies, while their feeds simultaneously showcase luxury purchases or high-paying brand collaborations. For some viewers, the contrast raises uncomfortable questions about transparency in the creator economy.

That scepticism is shaping how everyday users approach their own posts as well. Akshada says she now shares far less about her personal life than she once did, choosing private conversations over public updates. The instinct to pause before posting, she says, has grown stronger with time.

While people may be tiring somewhat of confessional content, on the whole the internet still hasn’t lost its appetite for personal storytelling. People still turn to social media for connection, reassurance and community. But after years of posting practices that rewarded radical transparency, the rules of digital intimacy do appear to be shifting. Increasingly, creators and audiences alike are coming to agree that not every moment needs an audience.

Anoushka Madan (@noushontheinternet) is a Mumbai-based freelance lifestyle writer.