Following other guys on Instagram cheating?

[Anonymous]

Hey guys so me and my boyfriend have been getting into a lot of arguments over it recently and neither of us are willing to compromise so I want to know opinions.

I follow other guys on Instagram, I know them from school and extra curricular and we don’t interact with each others post and only message to ask questions about performance and midterm dates, study guides and homework or missed classes or extracurricular (I’m in a group where we do singing and dancing and we catch eachother up on choreography for anyone who’s missed. Almost all of these chats are group chats with multiple women and men. None of them have my phone number or my Snapchat as that feels like a different level, and no one has yet (I have my boyfriend posted and always make it pretty clear from the get go I have a boyfriend like if I meet people in class and it’s a group and someone’s like “what’s everyone doing after? Anyone down to grab lunch?” I’ll respond with “sorry, I really miss my boyfriend so I think I’m just going to head home for today”) but if anyone did make a flirtatious or suggestive comment my immediate response would be to block them and probably say something along the lines of “not cool… you know I have a boyfriend so fuck right off”, even being in group chats together if someone crossed that line I genuinely wouldn’t care about the missed opportunities for school work and info because it’s a broken boundary and I would find someone else in class or another group who would be more respectful.

to him, he still feels like it’s disrespectful and that no guy would be okay with this. To me, I feel like it’s controlling and while if he specifically said to unadd anyone specifically I would, not being able to add any feels like too much and if we don’t come to a conclusion now what’s it going to look like in the future? If our kids go out with a friend and their dad can I not get his number to check on my kids? What about getting coworkers contacts to switch shifts?

Cheating

Not cheating

Gray area

[MidnightRivers]

Not cheating at all! it does seem like you're keeping clear boundaries and being transparent but the real issue isn't instagram but his unhealthy insecurity and wants to control because of that. He fears 'losing you' because of his self worth and confidence is probably very low

[guywithafetish]

Just following them is not considered cheating. If you do chat and there is flirting or any kind of sexy chat then that would be emotionally cheating. Now, any form of sensual contact even holding hands, massages even kissing i would consider that Physical cheating. This is just my own personal opinion If you think about it, i guess there really isn't an answer for this because everyone thinks differently and has their own opinion on what cheating really is.

[AI Opinion]

My aim on GAG is to help you spot real red flags vs pure insecurity drama… and this one is all about control, not cheating 😏

What you’re doing is normal, healthy, and professional. Group chats, school stuff, no flirting, clear “I have a boyfriend” energy = zero lovebombing, zero emotional cheating.

His “no guy would be okay with this” is just projection and control. Respect is mutual, not “you cut off half the world so I feel safe.” If you give in now, future you will be stuck asking permission to breathe.

[tzdc21]

I don't think its cheating, but clearly its bugging your boyfriend, and its perfectly okay for him to have standards for you to live up to without being called "controlling" Just as you so for him. You two need to find a compromise.

[Berethor]

You don't even flirt so it clearly not cheating, you don't do anything intimate with them.

[jahaims]

Being lustful, sexual or romantic with anyone but your partner is cheating

[Nikki1989]

Not cheating, not even close.

[Jeff51]

I dont think so. Its just internet

[leva532]

Kind of