At first, I thought it was a great idea that other people could upload photos of me and tag them so everyone else could see. For some users, especially girls, this feature makes them feel like mini celebrities surrounded by digital paparazzi. “Hey, that girl I hooked up with years ago is now at the beach with some guy,” I’d think. “That other one’s milking a cow on a farm.” Funny stuff—until I started wondering why I’d want people I haven’t seen in ages checking in on what I’m doing now.

I used to think it was cool that I could read what one friend wrote on another friend’s wall. Everything showed up instantly—the guy from Ireland visiting my buddy from England, the same one who puked on my hostel bed in Uruguay. It was a peek into other people’s lives without leaving my screen. But then I realized how strange it was that anyone could also see who I was talking to. Why would I want that kind of exposure to people no longer part of my everyday life?

Status updates seemed fun at first, a way to see my friends’ thoughts, places, and random moods. Even if I hadn’t talked to them in months, it felt like staying connected. But eventually, it started to feel intrusive. Why would I want people I barely know anymore tracking where I go, what I eat, or what TV shows I like? Worse, if a girl I’m trying to impress finds all that information online, it kills any sense of mystery or excitement I might’ve built up in person.

That’s when I tightened up my privacy settings. No tagged photos, no wall posts, and painfully boring status updates. It’s not paranoia—it’s strategy. When a girl wonders what I’m doing, she has to ask me directly, opening a real conversation instead of silently browsing from a distance. If curiosity leads to contact, maybe it leads to more. I’d rather stay elusive and let intrigue work in my favor. In today’s world, mystery is the one thing that still feels authentic.