Beware of social media during Valentine’s Day

By Glynn Guerra |Staff Writer|

Internet public display of affection (PDA) has become more frequent.

With Valentine’s Day approaching, be prepared for your news feed to blow up with gushy posts.

My Instagram newsfeed is already filled with daily posts of couples and their seemingly perfect relationships.

Valentine’s Day can be a day that calls for a news feed completely filled with social media relationship lovebirds.

For many, there is a line where PDA goes too far, but for others, there may be no line at all.

As we all know, social media has become more popular over the years, and PDA posts have become more frequent and problematic. Instagram users have created two hash tag trends to exemplify PDA, #WCW (Women Crush Wednesday) and #MCM (Man Crush Monday).

“PDA in general sometimes makes me uncomfortable, so I have literally unfollowed some of my friends because the only thing they post is pictures of them kissing their boyfriends,” said high school student Stephanie Ingram.

So, why do people feel it’s necessary to update their status to “in a relationship” or post frequent posts of their boyfriends or girlfriends? Could the answer really be that if they don’t, then their friends may not take their relationship seriously?

Ingram admits that even though it may be annoying to see her friends make these type of posts, that she too frequently posts pictures with her boyfriend.

Ingram says it’s almost a subconscious thing that she wants people to see how much time she spends with her boyfriend.

“I feel like the people in my life and on my Facebook know that I’m with my fiancé most of the time. I don’t really feel the need to post about it,” said student Hilary Stewart. “When I haven’t tagged him, nobody has ever asked me ‘but was Russ with you?”

Ingram and Stewart both agree that the PDA line is crossed when people post about their more intimate moments that should be kept private.

“Being in a public relationship with someone can come with bragging rights, but after a while it feels like: ‘We know! You love them! Good for you!’” said Stewart.

Stewart explained that it’s understandable for people in a new relationship to post frequently about it because they want people to know that they are happy.

But once you’ve settled down in the relationship, these posts should decrease because it is known that you are sharing your life together and it’s not necessary to mention it all the time.

There is clearly a difference between teen and adult relationships, but when it comes to online PDA it’s important to keep the posts in moderation for the sake of your friends and followers.

Stewart acknowledged that it’s sweet that people are in love, but if social media wasn’t around, then we wouldn’t have to hear about it all the time.