I think most of us have at some point found ourselves taking a beat in a conversation or pausing our scrolling online to think, “Wow, I really didn’t need to know that.” Sometimes it’s an unsolicited opinion, an unnecessary confession, or an oddly specific piece of information. Other times, it’s something that appears totally out of left field, for no apparent reason whatsoever.
When it happens IRL, we might take a moment to register what was said—or even question whether we heard right. But luckily, for the sake of our entertainment today, these people have receipts: actual screenshots of things people posted that would’ve been better left in the drafts, comments literally nobody asked for, and messages that any reasonable person might have thought twice about hitting “send” on, let alone wondered whether they needed to be said at all. From spectacularly unnecessary oversharing to baffling declarations, these are the things that made us collectively wonder: Who asked?
#1 Could’ve Just Not Commented, The Sequel
Image source: ourplasticdream
#2 As Long As You’re Happy
Image source: Stearner
#3 The Ladies Never Asked, Nor Did The Men Tbf
Image source: Luko31
It’s hard to deny that these days a large part of our social lives takes place online. More than five billion people use social media to keep in touch, share experiences and express themselves, according to research published on The Conversation. And there are perfectly good reasons for sharing.
#4 This Person Who Started A Convo Just To Say That They Have A Boyfriend
Image source: anon
#5 6’4 And Sick For Attention
Image source: BelladonnaB33
#6 Good Job
Image source: _raouldukee
Research from the University of Southampton offers some insight into why we do it. Their systematic review of almost two decades of research found that self-disclosure (sharing personal information, thoughts or feelings) and self-presentation (managing how we appear to others) can help us build relationships, feel accepted and establish our social standing.
#7 Cute Lippies Though!
Image source: diegobrandolover
#8 On A Cute Video, About A Woman Who Spent Months Rehabbing A Tarantula So It Could Go Back Outside
Image source: big_white_fishie
#9 Stop Having Fun At That Party With Your Friends And Family, And Check Out The Moon
Image source: Jaustinduke
But like in real life, what we choose to share online—and how we share it—can shape how other people respond to us. The researchers found that online sharing tends to work best when it feels genuine, appropriate and suited to the audience, with people responding better to everyday content than posts that feel boastful, overly curated or designed to impress.
#10 I Mean, “I Can Help” Would Have Worked Too
Image source: teaspoon7884
#11 My Friend Is A TV Producer, Shared A Link About An Explosion In La That Injured Firefighters. This Person Picked A Weird Time To Solicit Jobs For Her Family
Image source: RogueX23
#12 Guy Shares His Unsolicited Opinion On Women’s Body Hair In A True Crime Discussion Group
Image source: miserabeau
But this raises another question: when it comes to “everyday content,” at what point does sharing become oversharing? As Shayla Love wrote for The Guardian, reflecting on the thoughts and photos she had “casually put online without a second thought”: “Who needs to know what I’m buying at the farmer’s market or how long I waited for the subway?”
#13 “How Can I Make A Post About Pokemon Wedding Rings About Myself”
Image source: chaos_birb6
#14 Thanks For The Info Ig
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#15 Who On Earth Asked???
Image source: nachosandqueso
Psychologist Mark Travers defines oversharing as “disclosing an excessive or inappropriate amount of personal information, especially in contexts where such information is unexpected or unwarranted.” But as Love points out, what counts as “excessive” is subjective, depending on the context and what people consider normal. Sharing personal information is, after all, part of how we get to know each other, with relationships generally becoming more intimate as people gradually disclose more. The problem is more likely to arise when that level of disclosure isn’t mutual—when one person is revealing far more than the other has invited or reciprocated.
#16 Real Estate Blog / Recipe Review
Image source: chalbers85
#17 Funny!
Image source: Yamonomics
#18 That’s A One-Two Punch
Image source: miserabeau
But the distinction between sharing and oversharing can also come down to where and with whom you’re sharing. As Psychology Today contributor Polly Campbell puts it, sharing something personal with a close friend is very different from sharing the same story with a colleague or stranger. Personal disclosures can build intimacy and connection when they’re appropriate, but “saying too much, to the wrong people, in the wrong spaces” can simply leave everyone feeling awkward.
#19 I Just Wanted To Play 8 Ball
Image source: danoulsen
#20 Book Recommendations
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#21 Please I Just Wanna Get The Group Project Done
Image source: kakapoopoopeepeeshir
And the why can matter just as much. Writing for Forbes, Amy Morin argues that “the difference between being authentic and oversharing stems from your intentions.” Sharing a difficult experience to help someone else, for example, isn’t necessarily the same as sharing it to gain sympathy—a practice sometimes referred to as “sadfishing.” She also argues that authentic relationships are built over time, whereas oversharing can sometimes be an attempt to create intimacy before that trust exists.
#22 Not Even Remotely Relevant
Image source: imunique1543
#23 This Person Could’ve Just Not Commented
Image source: 32BitWhore
#24 Do You Even Lift?
Image source: timeforthepercolatOr
And social media has made those distinctions a little harder to navigate. We can share intensely personal things with an audience that may include people we barely know, or people we never intended to address in the first place. As media researcher Aparajita Bhandari, cited by Love, puts it, “Those boundaries of personal versus public are shifted in these new spaces that we’re in.”
#25 Ryan Finally Got That Reality Check He Needed
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#26 Who Asked?
Image source: Timcast
#27 R/Nobodyasked
Image source: Asddddd6
All of this is to say that oversharing isn’t simply about saying too much. Rather, it’s about saying something that feels too personal, too soon, or to an audience that really didn’t ask for it. In other words, it’s more often about the mismatch between what someone chooses to share and what their audience expects, wants, or is prepared to receive. And while that line can be subjective, sometimes the disconnect is pretty glaring.
Which, conveniently, brings us to these posts. And perhaps we need say no more.
#28 From R/Oldpeoplefacebook
Image source: expiredwilltolive
#29 Good To Know
Image source: SouthAfricanSusan
#30 I’m Sure He Feels Very Accomplished With Himself
Image source: anon
#31 That’s Just So Wonderful Of Her
Image source: sybilbirling
#32 Bar Review In My Hometown
Image source: EveryoneDoTheKlopp
#33 Phew, This Recipe Review Went Off The Rails
Image source: miserabeau
#34 Genuinely Wondering What Made Him Say This
Image source: N1CK8778
#35 It’s 12:57pm As I Post This!
Image source: SavageLavaGod
#36 We Were Talking About Characters Liking Ice Cream…
Image source: hayley566
#37 Sir, It’s Creepy Cute Pottery Of A Blueberry With A Face. Why Do I Even Go On Fb Anymore?
Image source: black-cat-tarot
#38 Nobody Asked But Also, A 3 Star Review? Messed Up
Image source: tarkalean
#39 Random Spotify Comment
Image source: Flat-Problem-7334
#40 In The Comments Of A Comic
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#41 I’m Howling
Image source: Bubblybee08
#42 Good For You?
Image source: ArcticPapillon
#43 This Comment’s Fresh
Image source: Fragrant_Ad7231
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