When I was in middle-high school, "private messages" got shared all the time. The first time it happens to someone, myself included, it's a bit of a ride awaken

When I was in middle-high school, "private messages" got shared all the time. The first time it happens to someone, myself included, it's a bit of a ride awakening. But once it happens, you learn that what you say online is a persistent written record which outsiders will occasionally access. I don't think that people can credibly claim to be unaware that all of their social media activity exists in a grey area between "public" and "private". Is it possible that most people just don't care? It seems like the "I'm not doing anything wrong, so I don't care" impulse is very beguiling. Maybe events like this will be enough to snap people out of it, but I wouldn't bet on it.