The ‘Listen To Black Women’ Hosts Talk Social Media + Dating Etiquette

The rise of social media has introduced a whole mess of problems — and opportunities — into the lives of singles and couples. On this episode of Listen To Black Women, co-hosts Jessie Woo, Chris Miss, Tiffany Nicole Ervin and (the show’s first male co-host), musician Kevin AntoniYo dissect and discuss the dos and don’ts of social media etiquette as it pertains to dating and relationships.

Fidelity — or rather, infidelity — is the first subject on the chopping block. Between sliding into DMs, commenting and leaving those little fire emojis, there are a lot of social media behaviors that can cause relationship drama. Our co-hosts share their opinions on what counts as crossing the line. And AntoniYo gives the ladies a little insight into the fact that sometimes, men plow through that line and then play dumb about it.

Platforms like Instagram and TikTok can cause conflict, but they can also pose opportunities for vetting partners. Ervin almost gave a dude in her DMs a chance, until she saw the offensive content on his IG grid. Woo had discovered some dealbreakers about men she was interested in on social media. Social media can be a resource for pre-assessing partners. But our male representative for his ep warns not to get too deep in the scroll, claiming women will start seeing red flags that aren’t really there.

Next, it’s all about exes. Some folks say when it comes to past partners, out of sight, out of mind, is best. But, social media makes that almost impossible. So, should you keep up with exes on Instagram or TikTok? Our co-hosts have vastly different opinions on this matter. Miss likes to check in on an ex from time to time to see if their pictures stir up any feelings — it’s how she checks on her healing progress. “When I’m Ready” singer AntoniYo never wants to lay eyes on an ex again.

It’s not all singles on social, though. Couples are on there, too. And our co-hosts break down the rules of posting pics of bae. Do you? Don’t you? Should you? What about tagging them? (Woo would never, as her fans once harassed one dude she tagged in a pic).

Get the full nitty gritty on how to navigate social media, single or in a relationship, by watching the full episode.