Social Media and Its Influence on All Relationship Stages

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Whether you're looking for love within the Latino community or you're going broader in your dating preferences, you have to recognize the role social media and digital channels play in your love life. Today, almost everything happens digitally. For some, if an event hasn't been posted on Facebook, it hasn't occurred. 

Social media can be a blessing but also a curse if you're not careful. Recognizing their power and their destructive potential will both be essential if you want to nourish a relationship and help it blossom. 

Social Media and the Early Stages of Dating 

All of the main bases of dating are impacted by social media. 

Let's start with those very early exchanges and occurrences. 

Imagine you've found someone through a dating site and you've gone on a couple of dates. These are used to learn about the person you're seeing but let's be honest - you'll probably seek additional info online. 

Be honest with yourself - have you checked somebody's Facebook profile after meeting them? Have you gone through their pictures, their interest and their list of friends? If you have, you're not alone. 

Trying to learn more about the person you're dating is completely normal. You're trying to find signs the relationship is going to work. Hence, you're looking for common interests and shared passions. You're also probably interested in making sure that person is exactly who they say they are. 

Be careful, however, because there's a fine line between doing research and engaging in cyber stalking. Following someone on social media can quickly turn into an obsession and it can interfere with the actual face-to-face communication. 

Thus, if you want to find out something, you should probably ask the question in person. Save Instagram for looking at a picture or two whenever you miss the individual you're dating. 

The Relationship Progresses: Social Media Traps and Opportunities 

As the relationship progresses, so does the potential for snooping around on social media. 

New research carried out among millennial suggests these people are very likely to spy on their romantic partner online. 

In fact, 37 percent of the millennial questioned admitted to frequently going through their partner's social media communication. There's probably a reason for this behavior - approximately 10 percent of people in relationships admit to engaging in virtual cheating. This is an intimate online relationship with a person who isn't one's partner. It contributes to emotional infidelity - a betrayal that can be as painful as actual cheating. 

We're turning into a society that's more confident than ever before with snooping around. 

Social media make it easy to spy on many aspects of a partner's life. Even if checking out their profiles and communications are sub-conscious at first, it can quickly evolve into obsessive behavior. 

Long-Distance Relationships and Other Opportunities 

Social media and relationships don't always equate disaster. 

For some people, social media provide opportunities for meeting a romantic partner or keeping a relationship going afterlife events interfere. 

According to 2018 data, approximately 40 percent of US couples that get married right now meet online. After dating websites, these people rely on social media to seek a partner. 

Another interesting study suggests that couples who met on Facebook are more likely to stay together. The study examined a representative sample of people who married from 2005 to 2012. Researchers found out that seven percent of people fell in love on social media. Those people and others who met online seem to be happier and more committed to the relationship than couples who got together the traditional way. 

The representative sample is quite small and this could be the reason for the specific result. On the other hand, online channels make it easier for people to get to know each other without added pressure. This informal and open communication may be the one that contributes to relationship stability later on. 

Social media also prove beneficial for couples that have to split due to life circumstances. 

Having your partner studying or working abroad for a certain period of time is definitely challenging. In the past, long-distance relationships were mostly doomed due to the fact that communication opportunities were limited. Today, social media have simplified the process of staying in touch and sharing major life occurrences with each other. 

The Influence of Others 

There's one more element that needs to be examined when it comes to the impact of social media on relationships. 

Couples that decide to go public with their love story often underestimate the impact of other people. These individuals (friends, relatives, coworkers and even people who are only online friends) become witnesses to the way in which the love story unfolds. 

Some people feel pressured to keep up a certain image and post things online to paint a specific picture. Social media pressures are pronounced in every aspect of life, including a relationship. 

Making a relationship Facebook official may seem like a cool idea at first but is it always the best approach to move forward? 

There's such a thing as over-sharing and many younger people are guilty of it. 

Posting about a fight you had with your boyfriend on your timeline? Probably not a good idea and you'll regret it once the two of you have dealt with the issue. 

Asking Facebook friends for advice and comments on a specific aspect of your love life? That's another really, really bad idea that leaves you vulnerable and open to some incredibly poor (or even stupid suggestions). 

Sometimes, people will turn to Facebook before they turn to a partner. Obviously, this is a sign things have gone too far and a change is required to make the bond stronger. 

Social media can be a force for good or a destructive platform. One effect or the other is entirely dependent on your usage. New technologies provide amazing opportunities but you have to know where to draw the line. If you become too dependent on social media, chances are that real-life interactions will suffer. This is something you definitely don't want to welcome into your (love) life.