Ask Amy: Mom steals stories, and then shares
– Too Much Sharing
Dear Too Much: You seem to have explained the implicit privacy contract that family members should adhere to on social media. I wonder if your mother understands how posts and photos can be shared with people completely outside your (and her) circle.
This is especially a violation when it comes to weddings, pregnancies, job changes, and the like – because her choice to post about these things before you are ready could harm (or ruin) other relationships.
She does not have the right to “take” your personal story and broadcast it widely.
Strictly speaking, reposting photos of you without your permission is actually – illegal.
You should tell her that if she continues to do this, you will feel forced to disengage from her completely on social media. Say that you consider this both a last resort and a natural consequence of her (extreme) violation of your privacy.
Otherwise, check your FB privacy settings to see how you can “review” any posts you’re tagged in. You can also control who sees posts where you’re tagged.
Dear Amy: I am a 40-year-old, single, never-been-married mother.
Whenever I meet new people or have new patients (I work with the elderly), I’m always asked what my husband does for a living, and when I say, “Oh, I’ve never been married,” people express such disbelief! They wonder what’s wrong with me and what I’m going to do with myself if I never find someone.
Then they have the nerve to tell me, “…well you’re only 40, you still have a little time left to find someone,” as if there’s some kind of time limit to find a husband.
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