Last night one of my besties called in a panic. Her high school sweetheart was in town. They found each other on Facebook. At the last minute she agreed to meet him for drinks. She just wanted to see if he still had those quarterback shoulders. Apparently he did because they ended up going for a walk in the park, arm in arm, before she remembered that she was in a relationship.
Before she could let her man know, her sister, who had seen her in the park, snapped the pic and tweeted it as a joke. What followed was a messy situation.
Dating in the digital age has its own rules. It's a brave new relationship world. Here's how to navigate it without having your favorite technology ruin your love life.
Facebook snafus
Facebook is the granddaddy of social networks. While this is a great way to connect, don't put yourself in a vulnerable position. Never post anything you wouldn't want to see on the front page of the New York Times . Don't believe me? Ask Anthony Weiner. His private Facebook chats became public after he was busted tweeting his nudie photographs.
Outed by tweets
You also want to make sure that you haven't posted a Facebook status or Twitter update saying one thing while your lying mouth said something else. For example, posting pictures of you at the baseball game with that cutie you just met while you are supposed to be home sick can lead to big trouble. Oops.
Status too quickly
When you meet someone new you want to get to know them. No matter how much your hormones are raging you have no idea what's coming down the turnpike. Don't just jump in on Facebook right away. If you friend each other today it can end up really awkward in three weeks when you realize he's a scumbag and you have to unfriend each other. Also, don't immediately change your status to "in a relationship with..." Why? See above.
Photo sharing mishaps
When it comes to photo sharing you could lose your relationship and job for photos posted by well-meaning friends on sites like Flickr. Set up a rule that nothing goes up without prior approval. After all, how many pics of you holding a cocktail glass does the Internet need?
Social media stalking
The most important love faux pas that you can make is to become a social media stalker. Breaking up is hard enough without constant status updates such as "Idiot" is now in a relationship with "Crazy." Spare yourself by unfriending and unfollowing your exes. When it's over, move on.
Finding love can be tricky but when you do it's the best. Don't let digital stupidity ruin it. Make better choices and be diligent about your online connections.
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