To wonder about people who watch EVERY story but never like pictures

I knew a person who said they never gave Facebook likes.
You just have to let people use social media the way they want too.

What does a like or a love on a post even mean.

I know this is an old post but I’ve started blocking people who persistently make me question their motives on social media. I think it’s complete game playing, especially when you see them like mutual ‘friends’ posts who they barely know!

I do stories as you can add music. That’s the only reason.

*smoke!!!

But what if you don’t actually like their post - if they are a family member or old friend and the post is neutral, grating or tedious - do you fake “like” to be polite?

Or even if you do like what they have said but don’t want a presence on SM so choose just to watch but not interact - is that acceptable?

It’s a bit like being out in a huge group in a pub someone says something - some people might continue the dialogue verbally others might appreciate (or even not) the initial comment but be fine to just take it in and nod but not be actively verbal.

I am interested in why you have so many ex friends - and why if you want to rebuild these relationships don’t you just talk to them, DM them etc? Seems a bit of an odd power dynamic to expect people to effectively blow smile up your arse !

I do this. I’m just being nosy, no different to when I used to look at posts despite not chatting in ages. Tbh with instagram I see it as ‘not real’ which I know it’s not, but I mean I look at stories of famous people and those I follow in the same way as those I don’t talk to anymore.

If it didn’t tell you who was looking they’d still be all looking op.

I don't have insta, but on Facebook I'd find it odd if people were trying to draw some sort of conclusion from the fact that I watch their stories but don't like their pictures. I look at their pictures too, even though I rarely engage with them. This is because I don't have a huge amount of choice in the matter - if I feel like scrolling through my feed, I will see everything that Facebook puts on there. That might include your story or pictures, but I haven't sought them out especially or anything. Maybe Instagram works a bit differently?

You say you don’t care, but clearly you do. It’s a nice worry to have. But for the sake of your mental well-being, maybe try to consciously shrug off these thoughts. They’ll get you nowhere.

Meanwhile, back in the rest of the world… war in Europe imminent.

I just click through all the stories to make them go away. It’s the same mentality as unread emails or other notifications on my phone. Doesn’t mean I am particularly interested or watching someone’s story specifically

My old housemate from uni does this - I haven’t had contact with her for years as she moved countries, but she watches every single one of my IG stories but has never posted on IG or likes or commented on any of my posts - even the big ones like birth announcements. I find it all a bit odd really.

YANBU

This makes me laugh.
I've got friends who NEVER ever comment or like any of my posts. but ALWAYS watch my stories. Makes me wonder if they don't realise that people can see who's viewed their stories 😆

Why do people do these stories rather than just post? Is one of the attractions of stories that you know exactly which and how many people have seen it?

Yep it's this. It's people who need validation that other people are interested in their SM and want people to actively "engage".

I will only ever view social media as anonymously as possible. Let's face it for huge numbers of people its primarily about having a nose/snoop, and it's socially unacceptable to be caught doing that. I miss the years around 2009/10/11 when people posted loads on facebook - holiday snaps and saying they'd got engaged, stuff about nice restaurants. It was the online equivalent of a visit home to mum where I'd get endless info on old school mates, e.g. "have you heard, rachel Clark is getting married! At that posh pemberton house over near Mosston. And I bumped into laura hopkins mum in tesco - Laura's brother tom is going to work over at GCHQ, isn't that interesting. Jenny Peters was telling me her chris is very into his gastropubs now and apparently that place down in Villageworth is excellent. Weren't you in the year below Chris at school?"

I have just looked on Facebook and noticed the stories bit at the top. I've never really looked at it before or noticed it was there! It's all businesses, not people I know.

I can't bear videos to be honest so I just scroll my newsfeed and look at pictures.

I use Insta only for gardening and wildlife photos. I skim through posts and stop and like the nicest ones. I never ever click on stories as I don’t follow personal friends and have no interested in wading through a load of videos on the chance of finding an interesting one.

I only watch stories now. Never even look at photos

I don't tend to look at posts as much anymore, so rarely like anything. I'd watch stories though, as it's easier to just sit and let them go on.

What is the point of stories? I can understand putting photos on as it is then saved there and it comes up a year later so nice for memories. But from what I can tell, stories is just people filming 10 second extracts of their day? Why would anyone want to watch that? I can understand if they are famous or whatever people being interested but just regular people filming what they have had for their tea or whatever...

Also, how do you know who has watched your stories? I understand you can look, but why would you? Do you go on to check the list of who is viewing them? I think for some people who are insecure/anxious it must be a complete mindfuck!

I hate that people know if you’ve watched their story, so I never click on them, and only scroll past feed stuff instead.

But I basically never ‘like’ anything. Again, I don’t want what I’m doing on SM to come up on other people’s feed.

Most people just use SM to pass the time of day, not to validate other people and their posts.

Watching stories is more passive. I rarely choose to watch someone’s stories but they come on automatically when I open the first story on insta. Stories feel more responsive/in the moment than grid posts, and grid posts have become very considered and permanent feeling. If you want people to see your grid posts you need to share them to a story to get that initial engagement.

Could possibly just be that they spend a lot of time on social media in general
It most definitely will be this.