The luxury of online privacy and gatekeeping
On the hierarchy of self-promotion on the internet
Two interviews came out last week that got me thinking a lot about how we appear online and what is the ‘preferred’ way of operating. The first was a profile of Phoebe Philo by Vanessa Friedman for The New York Times. In it, the celebrated designer had some interesting things to say about her plans for the company and how she doesn’t believe in fashion seasons. But as Friedman noted, “Ms. Philo is famously private. She has never been on X, Instagram, Facebook or TikTok.” The most intriguing part of the interview was what Philo was not saying. Her reluctance to share much filled the story.
In another interview that ignited a rowdy discussion online, the actress Laura Harrier told The Cut: “Controversial opinion, but I feel like we need to go back to gatekeeping. Everyone is sharing way too much information.”
Harrier was talking about sharing information on where she buys certain things and how it can be detrimental to one’s personal style. But both interviews suggest that keeping things private was the superior way of operating online. And here’s the thing: it is also a privilege.