121 - Social Media and Relationships

Jealousy

Social media can amplify jealousy and insecurity in non-monogamous relationships. Dedeker Winston highlights how people often become "social media sleuths," piecing together clues from posts to form conclusions about partners or metamours, which may not be accurate 1. This behavior can lead to overanalyzing and misinterpreting posts, affecting both new and long-term relationships. Jase Lindgren notes that social media often presents a "highlight reel," which can exacerbate insecurities, but sometimes it can also humanize others, offering a more grounded perspective 2.

   

Privacy

Maintaining privacy on social media is challenging, especially for those in multiple relationships. Dedeker Winston and Jase Lindgren discuss how linking social media accounts can make individuals vulnerable to unwanted attention, as people can easily track and contact them 3. This issue is compounded by the lack of explicit guidance in polyamory literature on navigating social media etiquette. Jase reflects on how communication norms have evolved with technology, noting that while miscommunications were common in the early days of texting, people have now developed better cues and shorthands to convey intentions 4.