Being in a relationship these days is much more complicated than it used to be.
Along with the everyday things that give us insecurities in the relationship, now we have to worry about what our partner posts on social media too?
Let’s help navigate the complicated waters that come with dating in the digital age:
Is Liking Pictures On Instagram Flirting?
One of the easiest traps to fall into when you’re in a relationship is checking your partner’s likes on Instagram.
It is important to note that Instagram is where people go to show off a little bit. Whether it is making a cake or showing off your brand new bikini, what you see on Instagram is an exaggeration of our lives – filters, and all!
You have to remember that Instagram has one major purpose: to post pictures of yourself of your interests.
When someone likes pictures you have posted, they do so solely based on the visuals. This is a modern way to focus on looks and not personality.
So, what do you do if you see that your partner likes other girls’ pictures on Instagram? Is it considered flirting?
While it isn’t considered full-on flirting with someone to like their pictures on Instagram, it can be considered “soft flirting,” which sometimes can escalate to a full-on flirt.
Liking a picture means that you are not only showing interest but are also giving that person special attention based on their looks or their hobbies.
If it escalates to commenting on the pictures or even sending the girl DMs, there might be a problem.
Is It Cheating If You Like Someone Else’s Photos Online?
I don’t tend to subscribe to the idea that simply liking someone else’s pictures on Instagram is cheating.
Some couples might get sensitive about it, though. This is why communication in a relationship is so important.
When I started dating, Instagram wasn’t a thing yet, so I wouldn’t have had to have that conversation with my partner.
However, these days, it is so common for everyone to be so engaged online that you have to be able to open these uncomfortable conversations to know what is acceptable.
Can Someone Cross the Line?
Even though liking pictures isn’t always seen as cheating, you are playing with fire if you take it further.
We tend to compare ourselves with unrealistic standards, and when the person we love likes pictures of someone very conventionally attractive, we can feel inadequate. While the person isn’t physically cheating on you, it can feel like an emotional betrayal.
Emotional affairs can often be trickier to navigate and sometimes are seen as worse than cheating on someone physically.
Therefore, it is important to remind your partner that you are feeling hurt by their obsession with certain influencers or models online, especially if it begins to make you feel insecure.
Your partner may not even realize that they are showing too much attention to those influencers, so it is important to be upfront with them.
Just remember, liking posts doesn’t mean they have real feelings for those online celebrities.
Can Liking Too Many Photos On Instagram Be Considered Creepy?
There is such a thing as a little too much!
If your partner likes a lot of posts back to back and even stretching into older posts, it can be considered creepy.
That tells that person that you are looking back through their stuff, but it can also be seen as a little creepy and aggressive. People say that liking many Instagram posts in a row is not only a little creepy but is also considered flirting.
The other thing to consider when figuring out if the behavior is inappropriate or not is what the intent was behind the excessive likes. The intent is a huge part of figuring out what is going on in the mind of the person who is giving out the likes freely.
Talk to them about it! You may find that the reasoning is much less nefarious than you had thought.
For example, your partner might like to comment and like posts regarding their favorite hobbies or interests, like cooking, reading, cake decorating, houseplants, or even cat videos.
However, if your partner frequently likes more salacious posts at a rapid rate, you need to be clear with them about how it is perceived and how it makes you feel as their other half.
Can Liking Someone’s Posts on Instagram be Considered Flirting?
I tend to find that relationships that already have a couple of cracks can easily be shaken by something as small as liking a picture on social media.
It pulls out the insecurities in one person, which can make them start to question everything in the relationship.
If you are in a relationship and your partner likes Instagram pictures that make you feel uncomfortable, you are absolutely within your right to consider it flirting.
However, some people just like online posts without thinking about it. Maybe your partner’s quick desire to press that like button has very little to do with attractions and much more to do with habit.
Talk to Them About It
Perhaps your partner doesn’t know how their behavior online affects you.
Especially if you view their behavior online as flirting or even borderline cheating, you have to be able to advocate for yourself. You may even find that your partner is completely unaware that their online habits affect you.
Have a conversation before you get too upset. They might take your feelings into account and stop liking so many posts.
If they continue to do those things that make you feel insecure, they are not taking your emotions and boundaries seriously, which can be a huge problem.
How Can You Like Posts Without Being Flirty?
If you aggressively like posts that show off someone’s body or are meant to get attention based on looks, it is easy for that to be considered flirting.
However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t support your friends who post these types of images. Just be aware that your likes might not always be seen as “friendly.”
Another thing to keep in mind is that flirting is a natural way for people to communicate with each other. Flirting is a fun way to test the waters when starting up a relationship.
You never know how the person on the other side of the screen will feel about your advances. Also, in the case of being in a relationship, you should avoid liking any posts that your partner might see as inappropriate.
Especially if you are in a happy and healthy relationship, you wouldn’t want to do anything that can fracture it, no matter how innocent it can seem. The most important thing to remember is that you want to be respectful.
You want to be respectful of not only the person whose pictures you like but also the person who you are currently dating. It all comes down to the golden rule.
If you wouldn’t like your partner out there liking bikini pics on Instagram, perhaps you should also make sure not to be liking them.
After all, relationships are a two-way street, so make sure you have the best intentions!
Can You Get Someone’s Attention By Liking Their Posts?
Liking someone’s posts is a great way to get them to pay attention to you.
Most people who are active on social media keep themselves logged into their accounts – not only on their computers but also on their phones.
Unless they have a massive following where messages can get a little hard to manage, most people have their notifications turned on. Anytime someone likes or comments on a photo they will get notified right away.
So, it’s pretty easy to get someone’s attention by liking a picture, especially if they check their notifications often. However, if your goal is to get that person’s attention, you want to make sure you are doing it in the right way so as not to be overeager to annoy the person.
While social media is out there for anyone to see, it is easy to get under someone’s skin when liking what they do on social media. When it comes to avoiding being annoying, a big no-no is to limit the number of times that you like someone’s post.
Over-liking and commenting can become obsessive and can even turn that person off to you, whether or not you are trying to pursue them. I’ve heard countless stories about people being blocked for being too aggressive with the like button on Instagram.
So, to avoid becoming another causality of the block button, use some restraint!
Final Thoughts:
The more we dive deep down the rabbit hole that is social media, the more there is to learn about how our certain behaviors can be perceived.
I always find that the best way to present yourself is with respect for others. It isn’t appropriate to comment on other people’s looks or bodies, even if they celebrate it themselves!
I always try to think about how my partner would feel about the comments and the likes I make. While I love lifting people and throwing compliments their way, it can easily be perceived as flirting or being inappropriate.
So, in the case of engaging on Instagram, lead with your best intentions!
Reference Links:
We Talked to the People Who Go “LikeLikeLikeLikeLike” on Your Instagram Posts
When To Draw The Line: Instagram Liking While In A Relationship