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Get a peek on what your love interest is up to

JUST A CLICK AWAY: Facebook is the largest social network in the world. These days it is easy to learn about your potential lover from their interactions on social media Photo: Denys Prykhodov
JUST A CLICK AWAY: Facebook is the largest social network in the world. These days it is easy to learn about your potential lover from their interactions on social media Photo: Denys Prykhodov

We can hardly imagine life without social media nowadays. It has become a great tool to meet new people, catch up with old ones and even see what our celebrities are up to.

But did you know that social media can also give you a clue about the kind of person your new partner is? A little peek into their Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and even Twitter, and you could have an idea of whether or not your new love interest is a keeper, or whether you should run for the hills.

With the help of relationship expert Vincent Setshedi, who has tackled the issue of the impact of social media on relationships, we find out how you could suss out your new partner with a few clicks without having to resort to hiring a private investigator.

"Firstly, one needs to tread carefully if they are going to go this route to get a clue about who they are dating, because not everything that people post on social media is a reflection of who they are," cautions Setshedi.

"Some people use social media for pure fun, and this is often reflected through a humorous or a nonchalant way they go about posting things. Often, these people do not share much about who they really are or what they are up to, which can make things a bit difficult.

"Secondly, this is not to encourage anyone to hack into people's accounts and go through their personal messages. We are talking about information that is publicly available, like on their wall or news feed."

Setshedi takes us through different social media platforms, and what to look out for to get an idea about who a potential partner really is.

FACEBOOK

Facebook has often been a controversial topic for most couples, as some people believe that it encourages cheating. But what does your new partner's Facebook tell you? Setshedi says pay attention to the following:

STATUSES

"If someone you have been seeing for a couple of months still posts things about being single or how lonely they are, you have a problem on your hands.

"This person is clearly still undecided about you, still wants to check out what is out there, and with these kinds of posts, they are throwing out a fishing hook to solicit inboxes of interest."

RELATIONSHIP STATUS

"If your partner tells you they broke up with their ex a while ago, but their relationship status still shows that they are taken, it raises an eyebrow. Yes, it is completely natural for some people to forget to change their relationship status when the relationship ends, but this is something to keep a close eye on. They could still be in a relationship with their significant other."

TAGGING

"Pay attention to who tags your partner and where. If there is a frequent person of the opposite sex who constantly tags them in pictures, this person could be their other partner. The place they are tagged as well is important.

"If you knew them to be at home on a Saturday night but someone tagged them at Ocean Basket restaurant for example, you could be having the wool pulled over your eyes. This indicates dishonesty."

INSTAGRAM

Instagram is all about pictures, and people normally post nice photos of themselves they would like to share with the world. But what could Instagram reveal to you about your new mate?

KIND OF PICTURES POSTED

"Are the pictures sexual and racy? Are they underwear pictures or half-naked images? This person is soliciting attention and wanting to attract other people. It is okay when they are single, but if they are in any sort of relationship with you, these kind of pictures are inappropriate and indicate someone you potentially can't trust."

WHOSE PICTURES APPEAR THE MOST

"Who are they taking pictures with? Who appears the most on the pictures he posts? Posting friends' pictures is okay, but if there is one specific person who comes up in most pictures, it could be their significant other."

TWITTER

Who doesn't love Twitter, and the feuds between celebrities that intrigue us? Setshedi says observing the kind of tweets your potential partner posts can say a lot.

TWEETS

"Is this person constantly getting into Twitter feuds? Do they instigate and antagonise other people to start a fight? This could be an indication of how confrontational and abrasive this person is.

"Definitely not a healthy and positive characteristic for a long, lasting relationship."

FREQUENCY OF TWEETS

"Does this person spend every waking moment on Twitter? This could indicate how obsessed they are with social media, and in a relationship, this could be a problem."

WHATSAPP

It has become a great tool for chatting. It is economical, quick and convenient. But what can your mate's WhatsApp tell you?

PROFILE PICTURES

"Profile pictures are important. The person being put up as a profile picture is extremely important. This is an indication of how important this person is to them, otherwise they wouldn't be up there as the focal point of their WhatsApp.

"A mom, sibling, cousin or even best friend is okay, but any unidentified male or female gracing their profile is a red flag."

WHATSAPP STATUS

"This is very important. Are they revealing a lot about their feelings on their statuses? Are they sharing too much information? This could tell you that whenever you guys have a fight or disagreement, they will blast you on their WhatsApp.

"Remember, WhatsApp contacts consist mostly of phonebook contacts, so an ex or someone who has interest could use the the opportunity to pounce on them."

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