hyper-documentation
n. The exhaustive and incessant recording of the details and events of one's life, particularly when these are shared on social media.
Also Seen As
Examples
2013
While photo documentation used to connote some level of importance, the ubiquitousness of Facebook and the popularity of documenting the mundane has created a situation where deciding not to document something tends to give it more meaning. As a result, the ephemeral sharing of a moment on Snapchat begins to release users from the tensions caused by "hyper documentation."
—Katharine Schwab, “Snapchat takes digital retro: free to be candid,” The San Francisco Chronicle, August 11, 2013
2012
However, the digital age (and the resulting hyper-documentation of our lives) appears to have ushered in a new era of early-onset nostalgia.
—Gareth Price, “Digistalgia: Has Social Media Shaped Teenage Attitudes To Brands?,” Business 2 Community, October 17, 2012
2007 (earliest)
It's a small saving grace, perhaps, that 10 years ago we hadn't entered the age of hyper-documentation: There were no cellphone cameras on hand to catch Diana's dying moments.
—Elizabeth Renzetti, “Bring on Diana's summer of love,” The Globe and Mail, June 09, 2007
Notes
1993 saw the appointment of Crispian Scully as Dean and changes in style were noticeable by lunchtime. There began a period of manic hyper-documentation. Forests fell as departmental profiles, CVs, scientific papers and grant applications were demanded. The Scots and Baltic landscape were only saved by the introduction of Intranet electronic mail.
—Malcolm Harris, “Personal view: The Eastman Jubilee 1948 — 1998,” British Dental Journal, June 24, 2000