Leader comment: In defence of over-sharing

Aw no! Too much information! How many of us have heard this cry as we tell an embarassing story and accidentally cross that line between 'egdy' comedy and bad taste?

Foggy, Compo and Clegg from TV drama Last of the Summer Wine

According to new research, our ‘filter’ gets less effective as our brain ages, so we are more likely to reveal our secrets, whether we’re telling funny stories or, sadly, being targetted by fraudsters.

The good news is that we might be able to train our brains to overcome the problem, scientists at Edinburgh University say. However, putting criminal activity to one side, is over-sharing really such a bad thing? Does a care-free, slightly risque pensioner not gladden the heart and lift the spirit?

Anyone who can remember Last of the Summer Wine surely knows the answer to that.

The Scotsman is in the business of providing information, lots of it, every hour of every day, in print and online. Having turned 200 this year, we hope we’re giving you about the right amount.

But, if forced to choose, we’d prefer to give you a little bit too much.