Keke, Do You Love “And” Respect Me? Let's Talk About Social Media Etiquette Within Relationships

Is there such a thing as social media etiquette when it comes to romantic relationships? A common hidden rule is that you don’t post your partner until there’s a ring involved. Back in the good old days, things were less complicated. It wasn’t official until one or both of you changed your Facebook status to “in a relationship.” Bonus points if you actually tag your partner! While some like to keep things private, it is clear that others have no problem spilling it all!

By now, you’ve all seen the headlines surrounding Keke Palmer after her son’s father, Darius Jackson, tweeted about an issue he had with her outfit choice. The tweet was in response to a video of Usher serenading Keke during his performance at his Las Vegas residency. Funny enough, that viral tweet came just days before another clip of the couple circulated online.

During a sit down on a podcast, Darius questioned how Keke would respond if folks online accused him of being unfaithful. The megastar star insinuated she wouldn’t discuss private affairs like that publicly. If that’s not enough, Darius’ viral tweet came just one day before Keke tweeted about how much she loves her boyfriend.

Not long after that, our Little Mermaid, Halle Bailey, and her boyfriend, rapper, and YouTube star, DDG’s public affairs, grabbed headlines. The up-and-coming rapper recently turned heads after releasing a song called “Famous.” In the track, he expresses his insecurities about Halle’s career choice. He even questions how she feels kissing other men onscreen. Much like Keke, fans were quick to rush to Halle’s aid, expressing how the song was apparently distasteful. Halle has yet to speak on the track itself, but the singer was quoted in an interview once saying how she stays off social media when it comes to people's opinions of her relationship, adding how other people's opinions can take a toll on her life.

So can posting intimate details about your relationship do more harm than good? While that may be true for some, the same might not be said about influencer-turned-actor Devale Ellis and his wife, Khadeen. Years ago, the two introduced themselves to social media as a pair of millennial parents trying to figure it out, and they’ve been doing just that. The couple are often transparent online about many intimate topics in their relationship, including sex. The pair would grow to face their own amount of backlash regarding the decisions they make within their relationship. Ultimately, they have been consistent in showing the ups and downs of marriage and owning their individual careers while also parenting four children.

All and all, who doesn’t want to share their special someone with the world? It shouldn’t be something to fear, but we’ve all seen, in real-time, how social media has contributed to the downfall of many relationships. The opinions on how to discuss your partner online vary. What remains true across the board is that having different posting styles than your partner will likely lead to conflict. Because if you don’t check them, social media surely will! While you can’t control how people perceive your relationship, as couples, you do at least have a responsibility to each other to discuss how public you want to make the private details of your partnership.

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Feature image by Derek White/WireImage