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The Goods

Thumbs up or thumbs down? Social media edition

From workout selfies to #using #too #many #hashtags, we're taking some common social media offenses to task. Are you guilty of any of these crimes?
CBC ·
(Credit: Getty Images)

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Love it or hate it, for better or for worse, social media is here to stay. And chances are, for every thing we "like" on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, there's probably more than a few things that annoy us, right? We're going over some common posts we often see on social media and giving them a thumbs up or a thumbs down.  Let's face it — we're probably all guilty of at least one of these crimes!

Couples Who Share a Facebook Page

We've all seen these couples, their Facebook page is something like EmilyAndJohnSmith. Their profile photo is them together and sometimes they even use their Facebook page to talk to each other. Because both members of the couple have access to the Facebook page, you never truly know who you're communicating with.  What do you think of these couples? Are you in one of these couples?

We say: THUMBS DOWN! Even if you're in a long term relationship, you're still your own person, and your social media presence should reflect that. Some researchers found joint Facebook pages to be a sign of insecurity, pointing to larger trust issues in the relationship.

People Who Post Photos of Their Food

We've all seen these people. People who post a photos of something they ordered at a restaurant, or food they made themselves at home. Some restaurants in New York and in the UK have even started to ban people taking "food porn" photos, saying it's distracting to the other customers. People spend so much time getting the right photo that the food turns cold and is not consumed how it's supposed to be. Lifestyle guru Martha Stewart is a fan of posting photos of food. The ironic thing? The pictures the domestic goddess posts look anything but appetizing! Maybe she needs some new filters!

We say: THUMBS UP! Unless it's a fancy 5-star restaurant, where the people around you have paid for a special experience.

#People #Who #Use #A #Ton #Of #Hashtags

For some, even the simplest photo  warrants 50 hashtags. A photo of a lovely sunset is accompanied by hashtags like #sun #sunset #evening #magichour #daytonight #funset #sungoesdown What are these people trying to do? Probably attract followers and likes.

We say: THUMBS DOWN! Hashtags are great for getting your posts seen, but they're always best when used in moderation.

People Who Post a Ton of Selfies

We've all seen this — you head over to someone's Facebook or Instagram page and it's a barrage of selfie after selfie. It seems the person can't complete even the most minor of daily activities without snapping a pic of themselves.  There's barely a trace of any other people in their photos. Just them. Duckfaces galore.

We say: THUMBS DOWN! Experts say that there's actually a connection between people who post a lot of selfies and narcissism. So, might want to think twice before you snap that next pic.

People Who Post Inspirational Quotes

We've all been there, we're going about our day, scrolling through social media and all of a sudden we're hit with an inspirational quote reminding us to be grateful or feel #blessed. It's the 21st century version of the "hang in there, kitty" posters.

We say: IT'S A TIE! It can be annoying to get bombarded by someone else's idea of inspiration. But, hey! If you're having a bad day, and that Instagram is going to lift your spirits, we think you should go for it!

People Who Post Workout Selfies

(Credit: Instagram, @itsmissbain2u)

Within the world of selfies exists a special subset: the workout selfie. These are photos of people in the mirror at the gym. They want us all to know they're #CrushingIt on the treadmill that day or #Slaying the weight machines. Nothing makes you feel worse about yourself while gorging yourself on chips and salsa and binging Netflix from the couch than seeing photos of someone flexing their newly-developed biceps in the mirror at the gym.

We say: THUMBS DOWN! While getting regular exercise is always a good thing, we don't want to see you sweat — and least on social media.

So what do you think of this social media behaviour? Love it? Leave it? Don't Care? Have you been guilty of any of these crimes? Let us know on our Facebook page.