What’s on your mind, Sakti?

The notification alert sound kept playing even before my alarm. I woke up to see my phone is flooded with Facebook alerts. Several thousand likes and comments from known and unknown. I was wondering what did I do to get such a response as I had not posted any for the past several days. Social media has been a menace nowadays. Not being there feels you are not social and being there makes you a zombie. So after a deep thought decided to remain unsocial than being a zombie. So was about to delete my accounts but then thought let me bring some self-restraint.

Anyway, at this time it was necessary to figure out what happen and was there any damage done.

I went to my posts to find a story published by me just an hour back. I wondered, “How is it possible?”. “Did kids post something in my account?”

I read the comments stating, "nicely put", "what a thrilling story", "I never heard about its guy, he is awesome". "I found my inspiration", "Nice job" etc. All appreciations about the post.

My social media accounts are treated as family accounts and my phone is a family phone. And it's not today, during my hostel days, my room was more crowded than the common room. Anyway, it's 4:00 AM and who would post so late in the night. I started reading the post. I was shocked to read the post. I felt chills all over my body. My hand started trembling and my throat dried. I could not believe what I read.

I sat on my bed to read, re-read and see all details regarding the post. It was my account, posted directly from my phone unlike my usual device, computer or laptop, It has the time stamp of 3 AM.

It was the dream that I just finished watching before I was woken up by notification sounds. It's exactly the same dream with beautiful words explaining the best way possible. It also has a picture of what I saw in my dream. It's written so nicely that I became a fan of my post and tapped on like.

Then I saw a comment from me in the comments section. It read “Not sure how it got posted, this is the same story I saw in my dream”.

“What??!!”, I just thought about it now and it went to the comments section, right at that moment? What’s going on? I switched off my phone as I was scared to death.

I took a deep breath and then tried to do breathing exercises to calm myself down and understand what the hell going on. My hands were trembling still. I could not dare to start my phone as I felt something strange with my phone.

But could not resist turning it on again and read the posts. I was thinking how dangerous would it be if I think about any secret that I have never shared with anybody. My wandering mind took me to a childhood incidence that I have never shared with my family and friends and quickly I was made aware of the fact that Facebook can read my mind. But in no time I found that posted on Facebook and my sister calling me, "Did you really mean to post that? Since childhood, I thought it was my fault to blame you and you behave all your life that it was true. Do you know how many sleepless nights I spent due to this guilt? How could you hide from me for so long", Before even she finished it posted a comment tagging my sister, I know I gave you many sleepless nights due to this guilt. I am sorry.

She said, "Are you listening or busy on Facebook. You are incorrigible", and hung up the phone. There was drama going on every where due to my thoughts being broadcasted. I realize it kept posting even when I switched off the phone. The only option I had is to switch off my thoughts. I started meditation. After a while, I felt at peace.

Tried to forget about it and follow my daily routine and at 10:20 AM started my laptop to start my day with a 10:30 AM meeting. I could not resist opening the Facebook page to see my thoughts since then till 6 AM were being posted on Facebook even if my phone is off. I was dumbfounded by this and could not think of what to do.

Started searching customer support for Facebook and found their email address. I opened my mailbox to write an email to them about it as I was not in a condition to speak.

I found there is already an email from Facebook.

“Dear User,

Inadvertently we turned on a feature that was under testing and that caused your thoughts to get posted automatically into Facebook. We realized that in 3 hours and immediately turned it off.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience it might have caused you. Please find Rs 399 credit in your Facebook ad account as a gesture of appreciation for your understanding.

This is an attempt to help people with disabilities and lack typing skills to post their thoughts by just thinking about them. It is to help ensure all are included following the inclusion and diversity principle that we believe.

Also, feel free to write to us about your feedback on this new feature we are planning to launch in the year 2022. If you want to continue with this feature please write to us.

Regards,

Your Facebook Team”

I was so relieved to know that they had turned off that feature post 6:00 AM but wondered how they could read my thoughts and my dreams. Is this going to be a new reality? Our privacy is no longer limited to physical privacy but mental privacy.

Whether you call it a bug or feature, it exposed a truth about the human mind and human behavior. We think beautifully but do not know how to express our thoughts. The day we learn to express and express in a timely manner we will find life will be much beautiful.