Is social media relationship advice actually ruining modern dating?

[Clara4567]

I think that it feels like every time I open TikTok or Instagram lately, there’s a brand new relationship "rule" being thrown around. One week everyone is talking about micro-cheating, the next it's all about playing hard to get, and suddenly normal dating feels less like getting to know someone and more like navigating an impossible minefield of unwritten internet laws.

It honestly makes you wonder if all this viral advice is actually helping us find better partners, or if it's just making everyone paranoid, exhausted, and overly calculated. We spend so much time analyzing every little text or searching for hidden meanings that we forget how to just vibe and connect with someone naturally.

For example, you'll see a video telling girls to "never text a guy back within the same hour" or to "test" him by intentionally ignoring him to see if he chases. Or on the flip side, people online will label a minor communication gap as a massive psychological "red flag" and tell you to completely block the person on the spot instead of just having a normal, direct conversation.

What's a viral dating trend or piece of advice you've seen online lately that you think is total garbage and actively ruining modern relationships? Aswer to the poll and then give me your opinion! Do you think that social media has made dating harder or easier for your generation?

The "Calculated Response" Rule: Playing mind games like intentionally waiting hours to reply just to seem unbothered.

Instant Disposability: The whole "block and run" culture where people bail over a single minor flaw instead of actually talking things out.

Toxic Red Flag Culture: Labeling totally normal human quirks and minor misunderstandings as massive red flags.

The Rigid Gender Playbook: Strict rules popularized online about who has to pay, text first, or make the first move.

Social Media Surveillance: Obsessing over active statuses, story views, and who likes what as "proof" of loyalty.

Other

[Anonymous]

I don't think so. But then again i'm the tupe of guy who will play almost any game so long as i understand the rules. And unfortunately, dating IS a GAME and it DOES have rules.

Since i'm not a woman i can't really tell you what the rules are for a woman but i can tell you what the rules are for a man and maybe knowing that will help you understand how to play.

1st, 85% of women online have no intention of dating any man (at least not one they will find on a dating app). Any man who's ever used a dating app knows this or learns it. So right from the outset if you know 85% of the profiles are off limits. You have to make decision, to message or not to message, that is the question. I'm an advocate of NOT messaging women first. I'm not against rejection i'm just not a masochist.😆 and if you message first you might as well be one. Because you'd LIKE to think well you still have 15% of the profiles. WRONG AGAIN! Next rule. It is COMMON KNOWLEDGE women find only about 10%, maybe 20% of men attractive if you're lucky. So that 15% is actually closer to 1.5% to 3%. Buckle up buttercup! We ain't done yet!😆 of those 1.5% to 3% you'll either have forever conversation where she never actually wants to meet. You'll have about a 3rd of those women who will exchange a couple messages and then ghost you. Now let's say that leaves you about 1% to 2% of the women left. Guys still have standards to. Odds are he'll be attracted to 40 to 60% of what's left.

So this leaves a man with.5% to 1% of women on a dating app to date. And odds are half to a 3rd of them will dismiss him after the first date.

When you realize this you start to understand why it would behoove a man not to message ANY woman on a dating app. Men should treat online dating less as something to do. And more as free entertainment. I say free because you should NEVER pay for an online dating app. It does not improve your chances one iota.

Now i say free entertainment. But that just means do not take it serious until she give you GOOD REASON to take it serious. I advise men, "take every woman online with a grain of salt until you meet them. Then chase each woman you meet with a shot of PENICILLIN. The REALITY is most the women on dating apps are RIFE with STD's. Always be safe, i don't care what she says.

Hope this helps. I'll try to answer any questions i can.🙂

[loveslongnails]

Ever notice that most dating advice comes from people who are either single or constantly dating? There's a reason for that. Finding dates and ways to meet people have changed due to electronic media, but the signals from people are still the same. So this isn't advice; it's just observations. Do with them as you will.

What has not changed:
People who are interested in other people make time, and find time, to respond to them or seek them out. In other words, no one is every "too busy" to send a text in a 24 hour period.

* What they say in that text, if they do send it, will tell you everything you need to know. If the body of the text is to explain why they haven't been texting, that's information.
If the body of the text seeks to set up a time to meet in person, that's information.
If the body of the text does none of the above, i. e. " hi, how are you, what's up?", that's also information.
* What you DO with that information is up to you.

It's my observation that if you stick with what has NOT changed about dating and use common sense, all the other stuff is just noise, and there is SO damn much noise.

[loveslongnails]

typo..."ever too busy"

[OlderAndWiser]

I don't disagree with you about much of the relationship advice online. If it bothers you so much, why do you bother to read it?

[Coercion_Is_Trauma]

Only mentally ill people seek relationship advice and only mentally ill people post any of it. Also mentally ill people stay away from relationship advice and mentally ill people get certified as professional relationship coaches. There's your new "rule". ㅤ

[NathanDavis]

people who go to TikTok for relationship "advice" are ruining even more, the chances of dating that they didn't really have much in the first place

that's a "them" problem

[Kvass]

The internet is full of incels, armchair psychologists, and virgin love gurus. It’s insane to get advice from them instead of just talking to your partner

[MrChinaski]

All of these are heavily prevalent discussion items on GaG too.

Yes, there's more dating advice in the world than ever before and it all just makes it harder to be happy.

[RavVid]

It should be left to our unconscious mind because that is where all serious mating/sexual selection synapses are.

I have proof my unconscious mind picks all the girls for me. The conscious mind just gets in the way.

[Staximus]

All of the above. People need to stop trying to play games and make drama, stop being fake, and communicate in a clear and effective manner

[dougeats]

I think its effecting the way younger people communicate when in person with someone yes

[canamlusciouslad73]

Sure, such as staying away from even us handsome Bradys !!!

[kültigin_tr]

yea people are starting to treat every minor flaw like a red flag and every disagreement like a reason to leave

[Bklynbadboy12]

No its not i think most of the stuff you see on social media is just there for fun

[XPen_DragonX]

Defiantly toxic, I don't bother with that nonsense.

[_Jenny_]

@Clara4567 I happen to agree with you

[Paige2006]

I don't think so. In some ways it's better.

[TinTan88]

It helps some. Add me!

[jahaims]

Modern social and cultural norms ruined it

[Iron_Man]

What is micro-cheating?

[Badtobad]

Yeah I agree