Guides
Short, direct answers to the fights couples actually have about phones and social media. Each one names what the argument is really about and gives a rule worth starting from.
How Social Media Feeds Jealousy in a Relationship, and What Actually Helps
Social media jealousy in relationships often has no person to blame. Here is the mechanism, why common advice fails, and what an actual rule looks like.
Phone-Free Time as a Couple: How to Agree on It Without It Feeling Like a Rule
Phone-free time as a couple works when it is a genuine agreement, not a lifestyle rule one person proposed. Here is how to set a window that holds.
Do You Need Permission Before Posting a Photo of Your Partner?
Posting pictures of your partner without permission is a two-sided fight. Here is what each of you deserves to be asked, and how to agree on it.
Open Phone Policy in a Relationship: What It Means and Whether It Is a Good Idea
An open phone policy means either partner can look at the other's phone at any time. Here is what it actually delivers and what to agree on instead.
Phubbing: What It Is and Why It Does More Damage Than Most Couples Realize
Phubbing is phone-snubbing your partner. This page explains why it builds without either person noticing and what a rule that actually holds looks like.
Liking Your Ex's Photos: Why This One Action Causes So Many Fights
Is liking your ex's pictures cheating? Here is why this one like stings more than any other, and what to agree on before the next fight.
How to Set Social Media Boundaries in a Relationship (With Actual Examples)
Most couples confuse social media boundaries with rules or control. Here is the plain difference and three examples that pass the only tests that matter.
Late-Night Texts to a Coworker: When to Say Something and What to Say
A coworker friendship is normal. If the late-night texts surprised you or you heard about them sideways, those are the parts worth addressing.
Your Partner Has a Second Instagram Account: What to Do Before You Assume the Worst
If your partner has a secret Instagram account, the account may be harmless. What reliably hurts is finding out sideways instead of from them.
What Micro-Cheating Actually Means, and Why the Term Starts More Fights Than It Ends
Micro cheating is a label people grab when they cannot name what actually hurt. Here is what it means and why the term makes arguments worse, not better.
Phone Boundaries in a Relationship: Five Questions Worth Deciding Before the Next Fight
Phone boundaries in a relationship come down to five decisions most couples never make out loud. Here is how to set them before the next fight.
Reading Your Partner's Texts Without Asking: Why It Usually Makes Things Worse
Reading your partner's texts without asking rarely answers the question you have. Here is what the urge actually signals, and what to do with it instead.
When Your Girlfriend Likes Other Men's Photos: How to Tell If It Bothers You for a Good Reason
When your girlfriend likes other guys pictures on Instagram, the bother is real and worth examining. Here is how to sort out what it actually is.
Following an Ex on Instagram While in a Relationship: The Conversation Most Couples Skip
Is following an ex on Instagram cheating? A follow is a leftover, not a decision. Here is what actually matters and what to agree on together.
Social Media Rules for Couples: A Short List That Covers Most of the Gray Areas
Most social media rules for couples are too vague to use. This page shows the three tests a rule must pass, with three fresh sample rules to edit together.
An Ex Sent Your Partner a Message: What a Fair Default Looks Like
If an ex texted your boyfriend, three things happened and only one of them was his choice. Here is what a fair default looks like for both of you.
What It Means When Your Partner Puts Their Phone Face Down Around You
Your partner flipping their phone face down when you walk in does not prove anything. Here is what the timing actually signals and how to bring it up.
Your Boyfriend Follows Women on Instagram: Overreacting or Not?
When your boyfriend follows girls on Instagram, a yes or no answer will not resolve it. Here is a concrete way to sort out what the situation actually is.
When Your Husband Hides His Phone: What the Behavior Actually Signals
Why does my husband hide his phone? The behavior reliably signals you are on the outside of something. Here is what to do with that, without a fight.
What a Social Media Prenup Is (and Why You Do Not Need a Lawyer for One)
A social media prenup is not a legal document. It is a short signed agreement two people write about phones and social media. No lawyer needed.
Am I Overreacting About My Partner's Social Media? Three Questions That Usually Settle It
Asking whether you are overreacting about your partner's social media? Three questions locate where the hurt actually is and what to do about it.
Is Liking Someone's Photo on Instagram Cheating? A Concrete Way to Decide
Is liking pictures cheating? A like is not an affair and is not nothing. A three-question test to work out what it actually means in your relationship.
Should Couples Share Passwords? What the Question Is Really Asking
Should couples share passwords? The question is almost never about the password. Here is what it is really asking, and a rule that actually holds.
When Your Partner Is Always on Their Phone: How to Bring It Up Without Starting a Fight
My partner is always on their phone: the fight is rarely about the phone. How to bring it up in a way that does not start another argument.