How to win (or lose) a break up on social media

It's Been a Minute

NPR

News Commentary, Society & Culture, News, Spirituality, Religion & Spirituality

4.6 • 8.8K Ratings

🗓️ 9 June 2025

⏱️ 19 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

A lot of us have seen how explosive breakup stories have been on social media. From Reesa Teesa's "Who TF did I marry..." to Spritely's breakup song, these posts have been drawing gasps and gaining traction. But is it harmless fun, or an invasion of privacy? When do your personal stories belong on social media and when do they not?

To find out, Brittany is joined by Molly McPherson, crisis PR expert, and Rebecca Jennings, senior correspondent at Vox. They get into what people actually get out of breakup posting - and discuss their theories of poster's etiquette.

This episode originally published December 3rd, 2024.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	With a major shift in our politics underway in this country, 1A is drilling down on what's at stake for you and our democracy.
0:07.0	In our weekly series, If You Can Keep It, we put these changes into focus and answer your questions about the impact of the Trump administration on the U.S.
0:14.7	Join us every Monday for If You Can Keep It on the 1A podcast from NPR and WAMU.
0:26.5	Hello, hello. I'm Brittany Luce and you're listening to It's Been a Minute from NPR,
0:31.7	a show about what's going on in culture and why it doesn't happen by accident.
0:43.1	Thank you. modern culture and why it doesn't happen by accident. Let's say you've been dating someone for a while.
0:46.7	You think things are going well.
0:48.7	You go on a trip together.
0:51.3	And their ex is at the same resort by coincidence.
0:56.5	You got to be kidding me.
0:58.0	Your partner and their ex run off together.
1:03.9	You're heartbroken.
1:05.5	Sad, right?
1:06.9	Do you post a story about this, maybe TikTok or Instagram?
1:12.3	I don't know.
1:12.7	Do you share the details online?
1:13.9	What would you do?
1:14.8	Oh, my God.
1:15.2	Well, first of all, this is like the saddest situation.
1:17.5	I hate this for me.
1:18.8	But, okay, I know exactly what I would do.
1:20.6	Okay.
	...

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