Facebook Etiquette of the Relationship Variety

BlackBelt144, we love your rules for proper Facebooking. —Sparkitors

Itʼs early Monday morning, and you just woke up with the most amazing feeling ever after spending all of yesterday with your perfectly gorgeous, perfectly angelic boyfriend/girlfriend. You get up to check your Facebook and decide itʼs time for a status update, so you click into the box and begin to type all the details of last nightʼs sheer awesomeness.

Status now updated, youʼre off to school. Little did you know, you just crushed someoneʼs feelings with this new update and annoyed yet four more cyber-pals with your 200th post about how awesome your new S.O. is.

The question is, how much is too much info to post on a social network? Well, here are some basic DOs and DON'Ts of cyber etiquette when it comes to relationships.

DON'T post highly-personal status updates.

Unless you want your Aunt Mildred in California and possible future employers to know the details of your last make-out session, keep the mushy details for private messaging or email. National Public Radio has on more than one occasion stated that many larger corporations are now using Facebook as a sort of “background check” on future employees, so caution is highly advised if your account is under your legal name, okay?

DO tag your S.O. in a cute post.

Say something like: “Had an awesome time today skating with [insert name here]!” Itʼs a sweet reminder that you enjoy his/her company without overdoing it, especially if you are a new couple.

DON'T post a seriously over-reaching relationship status.

By this, Iʼm referring to people who post that theyʼre “married” or “engaged” to their best friend. Itʼll only make things awkward later. Also, donʼt pop out an “in a relationship with [person]” until itʼs been mutually agreed upon. You may find out a couple of dates later, your would-be S.O. is an axe murder or worse yet, a Justin Bieber lover.

DO post when you are in a serious relationship.

We all want to be recognized as that special love in someoneʼs life, so go ahead! Itʼs fine to tell all your pals youʼve finally found that cute, loving, funny individual who doesnʼt flinch when you call him/her "honey bunny" in public. Just make sure that itʼs going to last more than a few dates before you break the news to the general population. It can save both parties a great deal of pain and strange conversations later.

DON'T post inappropriate pictures of you, your girlfriend/boyfriend, or the two of you together.

No matter how fun it may seem at the time, these types of pictures will ALWAYS come back to haunt you, and may very well have quite a negative impact on future relationships or even getting a job! Plus, youʼll probably make all of your friends sick.

DO post pictures of you and your S.O. as a couple.

A simple picture of the two of you holding hands and smiling is forever cute, and it sends the message of “We really love each other,” without the aftermath of... more suggestive images. Pictures of you two at the park or even hiking a mountain can bring smiles to you, your S.O., and even some of your friends who will get to see you happy.

Do you have any social media/relationship rules? What's the ickiest couple thing you've seen on Facebook?

Related post: Lord Voldemort Takes a Facebook Survey

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