In this technology-obsessed world we're living in, it's now easier than ever to end up in a controlling relationship. Due to read receipts, 'last seen' updates and mobile-tracking technology, we're more accessible and trackable than ever before. That said, however, it's not all doom and gloom.
While new technology has had a benefit on the way we communicate and interact with others, it has also undoubtedly had a negative impact on the same issues. Paranoia and Fear Of Missing Out are all issues that millennials now have to tackle due to social media and messaging apps such as Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger, and they often end up crawling into the world of our love lives.
Through the constant need for validation and acceptance, young people are now putting more of themselves online than ever before. Whether it's updating your Snapchat followers, posting on Instagram or sending out tweets, we're constantly letting others know where we are and what we're up to. While this may all seem like harmless fun, it opens the door to excessive and controlling situations.
A prime example of this can be seen in the following tweet from May Larsen.
Larsen, an 18-year-old, uploaded two separate screenshots of text messages between herself and her ex, and herself and her current partner. The screenshots, taken a year apart from each other, show Larsen explaining to her then - and her current - boyfriend that she is out with some friends, hence why she is not responding. While you may think that this excuse is a legitimate reason to not be looking at your phone, the reactions of the two males couldn't be any further apart.
The conversation in the left image shows how the conversation went down with her emotionally manipulative ex. While the other screenshot is an example of what communication in a healthy relationship looks like.
As you can see, the text exchange in the old message is full of red flags.
The ex, goes from 0-100 in no time at all. Literally, the first word is 'Wow,' suggesting that he cannot believe that May going out is the reason that she isn't responding to him. The rest of the text that follows stinks of a man who is insecure and controlling, something which is amplified by the line "try not to cheat on me." What???????
May's current partner, however, is the opposite. Understanding her situation, he simply asks for her to text him when she's home safely and hopes that she has a good time.
The tweet went viral online, with the debate centring around the fact that some believe May should be updating her boyfriend wherever she goes.
While it may seem like a reach to tie social media and instant messaging to creeps like May's ex, there's no doubt that it has had an impact on the number of control freaks there are in this world. Communication is key to any relationship, but you don't need to know where your partner is every second of the day. They are allowed their own life.
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