Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway. ~Mother Teresa
When you think about an icy glass of cold, clear water, transparency is a desirable trait. The thought of putting your lips to a glass of cloudy, murky, opaque water is not at all appetizing.
However, when you think about getting undressed in front a window, transparency is probably not the preferred characteristic of the glass between you and the world. Like so many things, the concept of transparency is innocuous. Its application in a particular situation is what defines a person's particular comfort level.
Some people prefer to be completely open in the world. Day to day, they wear their hearts on their sleeves, and seek out relationships from people who are equally willing to be vulnerable with them. They most likely use their real names and easily offer personal information about themselves to those who would inquire. Does this willingness to be fully transparent invite unnecessary danger into their lives? Unfortunately, in the world we live in, there are predators lurking silently on the other side of the screen waiting to take advantage of these innocents. However, is there any advantage to living so transparently? Some might argue that the risk of exposing themselves to this unnecessary danger also equally invites relationships of a more real and fulfilling nature.
On the flip side, there are those who prefer to secure themselves behind a virtual wall so high and wide that they effectively ward of any would-be attackers to their private information. In doing this, are they also sending out a "force-field" of sorts, pushing people further away from their pockets, their security, their information and their hearts?
Entering the world of social media is like walking a tightrope of transparency. Lean too far on the left and the danger of falling into the abyss of sheltered isolation increases. Lean too far on the right and the potential of identity theft and victimization become a unfavorable outcome.
What is the answer? In my own personal opinion, the answer to most questions of this nature is balance.
Using wisdom, intuition, and patience, protect your privacy from pirates while simultaneously looking for the lighthouses to guide you to the safe harbors of home.