Instagram is among the hottest apps for teens these days. Teens use the app as a way to share pictures and videos, carefully editing them to show off their best side. Yet, there is a romantic undercurrent to the service, too. We’ll show you how you can safely and properly seek romantic partners on Instagram with a few basic steps.
How teens have turned Instagram into a platform for dating
Instagram did not start as a dating service, and it has not completely shifted into one yet. However, everyone has heard the jokes about “sliding into their DMs” and scheduling a date with someone they had just met. Originally, Instagram was a multimedia platform where people could share posts with pictures or videos. It launched with fewer of the communications options of other social media sites, without the ability to live call people like Facebook. The site continues to lack the ability for large groups of people to meet and interact in a forum-like setting, too. That originally stymied the platform’s use as a dating method.
Nevertheless, Instagram grew in popularity after teens found out that it was a haven away from typical social media websites that their parents and other older people were using. It did not take long for Instagram to grow in popularity as people started to make friends on the platform by following specific pages and commenting on their posts. As more people started to accept friend requests from others, the site started to take a turn towards dating. The users cannot develop profiles meant for easy consumption, fewer privacy elements are in place, and people on dating sites retain greater abilities to reduce their interactions with unpleasant people.
Instagram eventually launched live video chat features, allowing people to friend others and then chat with them on their phones, and that contributed to the rise of the app as a dating platform. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon for teens to find people who share their interests, reach out to them via DM, and then ask them to have a video chat with them. All this happens without the public elements of other social media sites like Facebook, making it easier for it to happen without others knowing, especially family members. Since most people don’t use their real names on social media sites, that just adds another level of privacy to the website that most teens prefer.
Learn your partner’s profile carefully
Now that we know why Instagram is so popular as a dating area, it’s important to learn how to date well on the app. The first thing every teen should do is to look at their partner’s profile. Everyone learns this lesson sooner or later, but you need to realize that not everyone on the website is who they claim to be. Some people will pretend to be a teen to talk and romance younger people, and others will claim that they are part of a modeling agency and request money or pictures.
It’s important to fully examine someone’s profile when they reach out to you. If something seems off, then it probably is wrong. Avoid that person, block them, and do not contact them. A good practice for sifting out the losers is to be the person who reaches out first. People often reach out to hundreds of individuals at once on the site, trying to find someone who will fall for their lies. You can easily avoid that by having the right privacy settings and making sure you only accept certain friend requests. Lastly, make sure you quiz people who request you randomly: why do they want to talk to you? How do they know you? That can save you time and trouble.
Flirt properly on Instagram
Flirting on Instagram requires a fine touch compared with other sites. That is why we have distilled a few rules that can be used to flirt on the site:
- Be confident in yourself, but don’t be annoying.
- Ask lots of questions; look at their profile first to make sure they’re who they claim to be.
- Be unique: consider making a music video with edits to the lyrics to entice your romantic interest.
- Don’t come on too strong; take it slow.
- Get your partner to send new pictures to confirm their identity.
- Don’t send any private data early in a conversation.
Using these tips, you can flirt effortlessly and safely on Instagram.
Instagram is a potent social media site that is popular with teens. Although it was just a social media site when it launched, Instagram has now become a hotbed of flirting and dating. Staying safe while looking for love is very important, and you’re now equipped to do just that!
