How To Feel About Our Partner's Insta-Lurking

When your significant others social media use is affecting your self-esteem, youve got a problem. But do you have a right to be pissed off? We investigate.

- Susannah Guthrie

BELLA, 27, FROM SYDNEY, WAS SITTING ON THE COUCH WATCHING A MOVIE WITH SAM, 26, HER BOYFRIEND OF THREE YEARS, WHO WAS ABSENT-MINDEDLY SCROLLING THROUGH HIS INSTAGRAM FEED. OUT OF THE CORNER OF HER EYE, BELLA SPOTTED A PHOTO THAT SET OFF HER ALARM BELLS. SAM WAS LOW-KEY STARING AT A SHOT OF A GORGEOUS BRUNETTE BELLA DIDN’T RECOGNISE, ROCKING A SHORT SKIRT AND IMPRESSIVE CLEAVAGE.

A quick grilling revealed her identity: Eiza Gonzalez, the sultry 28-year-old Mexican actor and singer who played a sexy criminal in Baby Driver in 2017. For some reason, Sam’s newfound enthusiasm for Eiza’s ‘acting talents’ didn’t sit well with Bella.

‘I just felt like it was so random that he’d searched out this new chick and followed her in the time we’d been dating,’ Bella says. ‘I found it weird because she looks nothing like me, and her brand of sexy is very overt – short skirts, makeup and cleavage – the opposite of what I thought he found attractive.’

Then, when going through Sam’s Instagram follows to find a mutual friend – with his permission – Bella saw a number of unexpected names popping up.

‘All these girls were appearing, like Hailey Baldwin, Gigi Hadid and Kate Upton – people he’s never talked about in his life. I asked him why he followed them and he said, in a joking tone, “I like their movies”. Obviously, Gigi Hadid has never been in a movie.’

Bella also spotted Emily Ratajkowski – a popular choice for Insta-dudes – on Sam’s follower list and admits to covertly unfollowing her on his behalf.

‘It’s not something I worry about in the practical sense, he’s not the kind of guy who’d stray and there are no real-life girls he talks about. But I didn’t think it was his thing – all those girls are the opposite of me.’