It goes without saying that among all the things I’d want to publicize to my 1,300 Facebook acquaintances, my need for tummy-tucking, industrial-strength granny panties doesn’t make the list. Forget sharing the purchase with my friends — I don’t even care to remember it. On the scale of momentous life events, it ranks somewhere between flossing and ordering a side of French fries.

So why were Facebook and Gilt Groupe trying to help me register my underwear buys with the world? Does shapewear really need to be social?… Seeing my underwear end up on Facebook isn’t just unsettling. It underscores a fundamental tension plaguing all social media sites: the authentic, human experiences that attracted millions of people to these platforms now risk being polluted by the marketing noise ushered in with these companies’ push for profits.

Story length: 1,276 words (includes photo slideshow “7 Ways You Might Be Oversharing on Facebook”)

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