Why is "Social penetration theory" trending?

Wikipedia Overview

The social penetration theory (SPT) proposes that interpersonal communication moves from relatively shallow, non-intimate levels to deeper, more intimate ones as relationships develop. The theory was formulated by psychologists Irwin Altman of the University of Utah and Dalmas Taylor of the University of Delaware in 1973 to understand the development of relationships between individuals. Altman and Taylor noted that relationships "involve different levels of intimacy of exchange or degree of social penetration". Thinking about how relationships typically become closer, modern researchers are using SPT to understand how people connect and build relationships online, like on social media. This idea helps researchers consider the ethical questions and problems that come up when people share personal details and try to keep things private when they interact online. SPT posits that relationship development progresses through stages characterized by increasing breadth and depth of self-disclosure, a process by factors such as uncertainty reduction, disclosure reciprocity, and the assessment of rewards and cost, while also considering potential barriers and the concept of de-penetration.