When do casual social media interactions turn into emotional cheating?

Relationships today have many grey areas, and cheating is no exception. While most people agree that physical infidelity is the ultimate violation of trust, emotional cheating, which is often less clear, can be just as painful. Emotional cheating is when a person forms a deep connection with romantic undertones, with someone outside their relationship. It can often look like sharing your vulnerabilities with them or worse, sharing secrets you’re keeping from your partner. Even though there’s no physical contact, becoming emotionally attached to someone in a romantic way, is touted as betrayal. In fact, many people believe it’s as bad as physical infidelity because it can really damage your trust and connection with your partner.

Now emotional cheating is not a new concept, but we’re still learning about what exactly counts as crossing the line. And thanks to social media, these boundaries become even more blurry. Social media platforms help you connect with people from around the world, but it also makes it easier to develop emotional connections—often in ways that seem harmless at first. A flirty comment or DM might feel innocent, but it can quickly turn into something more than you anticipated, especially if you're not in a good place with your partner. And before you know it, you’ve crossed the line, far more than you imagined. As Joey from Friends puts it, “You're so far past the line that you can't even see the line! The line is a dot to you!” 

This raises a very important question: Is social media condoning emotional cheating? And if so, how do couples protect their relationships in the age of constant connection? 

The role of social media in emotional cheating 

As mentioned above, social media has significantly changed the way we connect and interact with people. Sure, you can connect with your family and friends, especially those who live far away. But this constant connection also makes room for emotional connections that impact your romantic relationships. The privacy and easy access that social media offers can lead to behaviours that although not physical cheating, still count as crossing emotional lines. It could be harmless flirty banter on DMs, constantly interacting with someone's posts or complimenting their profile, and always watching and replying to their stories, all of which can be seen as signs of emotional cheating, depending on how you define boundaries as a couple.

Normalising online flirting

I'm not sure when this happened, but online flirting has somehow become a social norm, even if you are in a happy, committed relationship. People often think of it as harmless exchanges that are supposed to be part of modern interactions. Now one might blame the whole meme culture, but that wouldn't be fair. Of course, you can still share a joke with a friend via DM without it turning into a flirty banter. But deciding where it ends is important to ensure the innocent fun does not evolve into deeper emotional connections.

FOMO 

One of the biggest downsides of social media is FOMO or the fear of missing out. When you watch people's stories, posts, and reels, it's only natural to feel a little envious. But FOMO is envy x100. It makes you feel like someone else is living a far more exciting and fulfilling life, while you end up feeling inadequate or unaccomplished. FOMO can really hamper one's self-confidence forcing them to seek validation outside their relationship via social media through likes, comments, and of course, online connections. As users scroll through curated highlights of others’ lives, they may feel pressured to engage with someone else to feel more desirable, which can easily complicate things in their personal lives. 

So how do couples protect their relationship from the dangers of social media? 

Setting boundaries and have an open communication

Boundaries are important in any and every relationship, including the ones we have with social media, and understanding what's acceptable and what is not is key to avoiding the risks of emotional cheating online. Couples must have an open conversation about their comfort levels with social media interactions and be transparent about any concerns that may arise later. This helps foster trust and understanding between couples, allowing them to navigate their relationship better. That said, self-awareness is important too as it helps you recognise how your behaviour online might affect your relationship. Moreover, while it is important to discuss who you're talking to or what you're talking about, constantly questioning your partner's motives can have a negative effect on your relationship and make you come across as insecure. 

Ultimately, it's not just about looking out for each other’s online activity; it’s about building and caring for the emotional bond that keeps your relationship healthy through proactive conversation, even with all the distractions that social media brings!

Lead image credit: Netflix

Also read: 5 signs of an emotional homewrecker

Also read: Tell-tale signs that your partner may be cheating on you