why I’m glad my husband doesn’t use instagram

Wedding rings

Table of Contents

I fully expect to get some eye rolls over this one, maybe even several eye rolls. Depending on how strongly people feel about social media, I may even get some hatorade thrown my way. But this is something I have been thinking about for awhile and felt like I should share. 

This post might come as a surprise to many people, after all, it is no secret that I LOVE Instagram and I have often said it’s my favorite form of social media. That was true then, and it’s true now. But like everything in life, there is good and bad, there are pros and cons, there is darkness and light. As much as I love Instagram and don’t have any plans to stop using it, there is one very big reason why I am so glad my husband doesn’t have an Instagram account, and why I don’t foresee my children ever having one either.

Why I'm Glad My Husband Doesn't Use Instagram

Mike and I try to be very careful about sharing our personal lives on social media. You will never hear us mention our children’s names on Facebook—even our personal accounts. I have even deleted a few comments in the past when the person used one of my children’s names. Please know it was nothing personal, I’m just trying to respect their privacy and keep them safe! I try to be very selective about the pictures I post of my children, and often I watermark the ones that do make the cut. We don’t post about trips that we take until we’re home (unless only one of us is going and the other one is home) and I know our friends think we’re ridiculous for asking them not to tag us until the trip is over. 

It’s true that there are privacy settings and different safety regulations in place for a reason, but the truth of the matter is once something is online it’s out there… forever. It’s out of your hands and anyone can do anything with it. There are hackers, there are thieves, and there are sickos who are, unfortunately, also pretty computer-savvy. Even with private accounts or special settings, you have almost zero control over what a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend may see—and what they may do with that information. I don’t want you to think I am some doom-and-gloom, paranoid, conspiracy theorist. Again let me reiterate, I love Instagram and I think it (and other social media) has the power to be such a positive influence on the world and share so much goodness!

However, there is also a lot of darkness and negativity. There is one thing in particular that makes me sick to my stomach about Instagram (I am referring to Instagram, but this post pretty much applies to social media in general), and that is pornography. I never would have thought I would type that word on this blog, but there it is. Pornography seems to be rampant on Instagram and you don’t even have to search it out, it will come looking for you. The day I realized this was when I searched a hashtag I had used for a picture I’d posted so I could interact with other people posting about the same thing. A very common thing to do, especially in the blogging community. After all, that’s why hashtags were implemented in the first place. It was a completely innocent hashtag, one I would have never thought would lead to pornographic pictures, but it did. After the first dozen or so images of cute kids, there it was; actually, there they were, because there were several images of that nature. I quickly looked away, literally covered my hand over the screen, and then through half shut eyelids reported them inappropriate and then clicked away. Hashtags are being used to spread pornographic images to unsuspecting people and there is very little you can do to protect yourself.

Of course, there are other ways that pornography can reach out to you through social media, such as “people” that attempt to follow you who turn out to be just a spam account that is full of little squares filled mostly with porn; but those accounts are easy enough to block. The misuse of hashtags is what really makes me sick, because you don’t go looking for it. You post a completely innocent, beautiful, fun picture. You add a few hashtags to increase your reach and gain more likes. You click through those hashtags to find some new people to follow and interact with, and you stumble across porn.  Now those tiny glimpses are with you forever, popping up at the most random moments.

You might think I’m being silly and overreacting to something that is common-place and everyday. But I will stand on the roof tops and shout that you are wrong. Pornography can be addictive and destroy families. It has done it time and again and will continue to do so. This is not a naive or close-minded thought, it is the simple truth. And because you know I’m a lover of infographics, check out this one and this one; slightly outdated but still relevant. I feel so fortunate that porn has never directly affected my life, but I know people who have been wounded by its effects. When we spend our time, thoughts, and emotions on pornographic images, it does nothing but whittle away at our real relationships and our own feelings of self-worth.

Wedding rings

Now, let me clarify. The reason I’m glad that my husband has pretty much no interest in social media and doesn’t have an Instagram account is not because I don’t trust him. I wholeheartedly do. People, I’ve got one of the good ones. But I also know that we should never put ourselves in harm’s way, and pornography is one of the worst harms that there is; it is far-reaching and can come cleverly disguised. And when I say that my children will never have an Instagram account let me add that first of all, by the time my kids are old enough for social media Instagram probably won’t even be around anymore (remember Myspace… yeah, neither do most people). Secondly, if your children do have an Instagram account I’m not judging you. Everyone has to do what they feel is best for their own family and that’s fine. Likewise, I have the right to teach my children the dangers of it while trying to safeguard them as best I can from it.

Now, as I’ve said time and time again, I love Instagram. I don’t want you to read this and think that I don’t. I love sharing little bits of my life, and I love getting to know my followers better. I will continue to try and fill my square with all the pretty and goodness I can, and I encourage you to as well! #sharegoodness

But be smart, be aware, be vigilant.

related posts