exposed

Log into Twitter. See the same partial nude photo of a young woman on the timeline. Who is she? Why is this on my timeline? Who did she “curve”? Does she know that she’s been EXPOSED? 

These are all of the questions that pulse through my mind whenever embarrassing private photos or messages are posted to social networking sites. Many times it is a young woman who sent nude photos to an online suitor in confidence that they would remain private. In some cases, folks are just caught taking part in activities that are private, making them socially unacceptable. Either way, they are exposed.

The Exposed are like chum in the social networking waters. Folks circle the live bait in hopes to take the largest comedic bite. The Exposed bleed out attracting more attention to the feeding frenzy. The Exposed is taken under. Everyone from regular folks to celebrities and politicians have been crowned The Exposed after having private photos or messages released to the public.

Social and personal responsibility on social networking sites hardly exists. The Exposed have existed from way back when social profile and forum sites like BlackPlanet existed. The beautifully horrifying hallmark of the Internet is that once something appears on the Internet, it exists in perpetuity. That nude photo of you has been copied and saved by the masses and may appear anytime.

The lack of social networking responsibility and accountability has developed into offline situations. There have been suicides and homicides based on online interactions that have exposed a person. Folks have lost jobs over out of control social networking situations. It has become such a reality that it has birthed legislation against cyber bullying. The subversive need to expose a person has become commonplace everyday fodder on social networking. It has yet to lose its cruel power amidst the devastating real life consequences it could pose. The Internet is not a fake place where your actions lack consequences. If the Internet is viewed as a real and viable reality, folks may approach the material they share differently.