A 3 Step Guide: Social Media meets Casablanca

Widely regarded as one of the greatest romantic drama's of all time, Casablanca follows Rick Blaine's great love choice - whether to chase his love, or help the Czech Resistance leader escape and continue fighting against the Nazis. But "as time goes by" (the first of many Casablanca references in this piece), and the rise of Tinder, Coffee Meets Bagel, happn, and endless others continue to involve social media in our love life, we ask - how does it all work?

Step 1 - The Meet-Up


You've swapped the messages, progressed from the app to social media and texting, and the big day is here - you're going to find out if the story matches, or whether you've been Catfished. Hopefully you've done this sensibly, and told your friends where you're going, and following all the important safety rules of meeting a stranger (which can be found by clicking here). This is the first part where you'll experience the reconnect - the part where social media stops being a pretend world, and starts being real life. We're undecided if this is a good thing, or a bad thing. In many ways, it's a good thing as it ensures that people remember they're talking to real people. It's very easy when presented with dating apps to view people as commodities, and meeting them serves as an excellent way to remember the human aspect of it all. However, we're also aware it's a risk, as meeting a stranger always will be to some degree. As such, we're undecided at step 1 whether social media in our love life is a good thing. What comes next, depends on how it went - Step 2, it went well. Step 3...it didn't.

Step 2- The Success Story


Congratulations, you did it! You survived whatever system you went through, avoided doing "that thing you do", and made a positive impression on your new significant other. Social media in this sense has worked for you - it's allowed you to build a feeling of closeness and knowledge of someone in a short space of time, through having multiple constantly connected channels of communication. You've liked each other, and now it begins. The next step of managing social media as you progress to the stage of awkwardly fielding questions such as "how did you meet?" is inevitably a challenge (as this dated but relevant article shows). Indeed, you now have more social decisions - do you want to be seen on social media together, will there be a disagreement over what you are as a couple? Your future mother-in-law has added you on Facebook, what do you do now? It can complicate things, but if it brought you together, it can't be all bad? Right?

Wrong. Because while it's not a problem if it worked out, if it hasn't, we've got to look at Step 3. And it's not good reading.

Step 3- The Escape

We did promise this would be Casablanca heavy.



"Of all of the news feeds in all the towns in all the world, her post is on mine", could well become the next generation's monologue. When we're bombarded with more photos and romance related content than ever before, it's very hard to escape a failed date or relationship that has it's roots on social media - there's a message thread, photos you're both tagged in, tweets and retweets, shares, comments, and likes. The "relationship status" update that everyone liked - the same friends that said "about time!" when you two got together, now say "well done you" for separating. What now? Delete them? Seems a bit harsh doesn't it? Plus then you'll lose the post break-up spin war. Leave them there, but don't talk to them? Now you're not moving on at all, and have your social media as a virtual box of memories. Take yourself off social media? Exile isn't the answer.

So what's the answer?

First off, there are very few in this office who are well-positioned to give first class relationship advice. After all, we focus on making award winning social media software instead of candlelit dinners. We narrowed it down to what we think is a clear and simple three steps, that if you follow, things will work out as best as they possibly can.

  • Keep it off social media
  • Be Safe
  • Have fun!

A final thought...

If you do feel the need to share your romantic dinner for two, just remember - once something's on the Internet, it's always on the Internet somewhere. Never, EVER, let it be something you could regret.

Video and Photo Sources:

"Casablanca" - 1942 - Distributed by Warner Bros.