Lauren Long (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer
If you think about the world and society that we live in, there are numerous ways to share personal details online. Blogs, social media, podcasts, chat rooms, you name it, I’ve seen people post daily content about their lives on Instagram and other platforms. Everyone has their own comfort level when it comes to sharing things about their lives on the Internet.
For me personally, I like keeping my personal life private, because time and experience have taught me that my privacy has value. However, because I have depression, anxiety and a history of disordered eating, I have written and shared pieces online about my experiences in the hope that people who also live with these mental health illnesses will see them and feel less alone.
I was bullied as a kid and teenager, so I’ve also written and shared articles about that with the same goal. In many ways, bullying is far worse than it was when I was in high school. All we had at that time was Facebook and MSN Messenger. Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter (or X as it’s now called), didn’t come along until after I started my undergraduate degree. Now, bullying is in-person and online.
I don’t have a problem sharing my experiences with bullying and my mental health illnesses because it’s stories about those issues that give people hope, courage, and the strength to rise above and not let their demons win. But that’s where I draw the line when it comes to sharing details about my life online.
I seldom use my Instagram and Facebook to share personal stuff. Mostly, I use it to post content for my blog and podcast. I don’t share details about my personal life because I’m not interested in having everyone know my business. If you share something about your relationship, some people automatically think that they’re entitled to the whole pie, and before you know it, you and your partner have no privacy anymore.
I see this all the time where actors playing couples on TV shows and films are concerned. Sometimes their on-screen chemistry is so strong, people inevitably assume that they’re together in real life too, and they constantly leave comments on the actors’ Instagram posts asking if they’re secretly together. Not only is this incredibly invasive, it’s also really rude.
Yes, actors, musicians, other artists and professional athletes have chosen careers that mean they are in the public eye. But fans who see these individuals often tend to forget something important: they’re also people who have the same right to privacy and to keep their personal lives private that the rest of us do.
If they don’t post pictures of themselves with their significant others online, that’s their right. They’re not required to hand over every detail about their lives to us just because there are some people who are so bored with their own lives that they feel the need to know everything about everyone else’s and stick their noses where they don’t belong.
Additionally, because of social media, the press and tabloids can access other people’s accounts more easily and sell their photos for exorbitant amounts of money. They can also take moments that don’t belong to them and release them to the world, thus taking away a person’s autonomy and their right to share their news on their own terms. This happened to Vanessa Hudgens in 2024, when she was photographed by the paparazzi while exiting the hospital after welcoming her first child. The paparazzi then sold the picture and allowed TMZ to report on the baby’s arrival before the new parents had the chance to do so. Vanessa took to Instagram to express her displeasure with the paparazzi: “We’re disappointed that our family’s privacy was disrespected and exploited during this very special time due to the greed of a long lens camera feeding the media. Despite all of that, mom, dad, and baby are happy and healthy.”
I can’t find the words to describe how I feel about the pure nerve and entitlement of the paparazzi and TMZ and anyone else who takes something that isn’t theirs to take and shares it with the world.
I will say, though, that this is why I chose not to work in the entertainment field after I finished my degree. If I wouldn’t want someone to do this to me, why would I do it to other people? Short answer: it goes against my moral compass. I’ve built my career and reputation on the values of integrity and empathy, as well as truth, and any job that asks me to sacrifice those and my morals is not worth it.
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Born and raised in Quesnel, BC, Lauren Long is a strong advocate for mental health and well-being, as well as being a major Swiftie and a role model for positive body image. She believes in the value of truth and that truth matters. When she’s not writing, you can find her on the pole, on the training mats, twirling swords or curled up with a good book or fanfiction. She’s not picky when it comes to reading material!