What is is it weird to follow someone on instagram?

Whether it's "weird" to follow someone on Instagram depends heavily on the context. There's no one-size-fits-all answer. Here's a breakdown of factors to consider:

  • Existing Relationship: If you know the person in real life (friend, family, colleague), following them is generally considered normal. Following acquaintances is usually fine too. However, if you've only met them once briefly, they might find it slightly odd depending on your interaction. This can be explored more with "Is%20it%20appropriate%20to%20follow%20someone%20on%20social%20media?"

  • Purpose of Following: Are you genuinely interested in their content? Or are you trying to monitor them or gain some other advantage? If your intention is harmless, it's less likely to be perceived as weird. Exploring "Understanding%20social%20media%20intentions" is important.

  • Profile Privacy: If their profile is public, it's generally understood that they're open to being followed by anyone. If their profile is private, and they accept your request, then clearly they're okay with you following them. Sending a follow request to a private account and then constantly requesting acceptance if they decline can definitely be perceived as strange. Understand "Social%20media%20privacy%20settings".

  • Online Behavior: Consider your past interactions with the person online. Have you liked their posts, commented positively, or engaged with their stories? If so, a follow request is a natural extension of that engagement. If you've never interacted before, they might wonder why you're suddenly interested. Study "Social%20media%20interaction%20etiquette".

  • Power Dynamic: If there's a significant power imbalance (e.g., you're their boss, teacher, or a much older person), following them could make them uncomfortable, especially if they feel obligated to follow you back. Think about "Power%20dynamics%20in%20social%20media".

  • "Follow-Unfollow" Behavior: Repeatedly following and unfollowing someone to get their attention or artificially inflate your follower count is definitely considered weird and annoying. This is described in "Unfollow%20behavior%20on%20social%20media".

Ultimately, it comes down to using your best judgment and being mindful of the other person's perspective. If you're unsure, it's always better to err on the side of caution.