To be a prominent celebrity, oversharing on social media seems imperative

As I was scrolling through my Instagram feed, a picture popped up from 2016 of model Blac Chyna doing the mannequin challenge (a viral Internet video trend where people are filmed while frozen in action) during childbirth. I immediately lost my appetite and closed out of the app. I was done with social media for the day.

These days, it seems almost imperative for celebrities to inform the world about their personal lives in order to stay significant. Celebrities who actively engage with their fans keep themselves prominent. Fans feel more invested in celebrity lives, as if they personally know the person. However, there should be a limit as to what should be shared with the public. 

    Not only should celebrities not share weird personal events with their fans, but it’s important to be careful with how much information is shared with the outside world. Last year, model Chrissy Teigen accidentally tweeted her email address, and then got bombarded with messages from strangers. She was so scared that she had disabled her Facetime and changed her email only one hour after the mistake. 

    Oversharing, however, commonly works to celebrities’ advantage. The Kardashians are a prime example. They got their fame from spreading their personal information with revealing videos and their reality TV show “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” (KUWTK).

    In January, when Kim Kardashain drunkenly told the press that she and her husband were expecting baby number four, KUWTK’s ratings soared. Oversharing has led to the Kardashians’ success, and kept fans invested in their drama-filled lives.

Another memorable moment occurred when model and YouTuber Alissa Violet posted tweets directed toward her cheating ex-boyfriend, FaZe Banks. Their public Twitter argument generated massive rounds of retweets and likes. Airing their relationship problems to the world became public entertainment for her millions of followers. Violet had exposed him over Twitter perhaps to embarrass him, but it also served to boost her relevance.

    Still, in an ideal world, celebrities would know the balance between oversharing the right amount of information and making their fans uncomfortable. No one needs to see a closeup of a blister on your toe, Sarah Silverman.

Kayley Cuoco posted a picture of her multitasking while on the toilet and Lena Dunham posted herself on the examination chair with her hospital gown on as she waited for her gynecologist. All they managed to do was put their fans in a very awkward position.

    All of us share our personal lives on social media, mostly to gain more attention. For celebrities, all publicity is good publicity, and oversharing is what keeps them prominent in a universe full of stars.