This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s summer editorial intern Connor Hanrahan. Find him on Instagram at @hannerhansmh. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
‘Couples’ Social Media’ is taking over the internet one follower at a time. Whether you’re a fan of this content or not, a couples’ channel will surely make its way onto your ‘for you’ page. There have been many takes on this media and they range from lonely and bitter to supportive and encouraging. These “YouTube couples” are not entirely what they seem during their content, but are they really that bad?
The short answer is no, they aren’t, and in my best effort to prove so, I’ve sprinkled in some TikToks from my favorite social media couples.
The Nature of the Content
Whether the content they create is authentic or not, their channels are designed for entertainment and should only be taken at face value. Anybody who looks too closely at any entertainment will surely find holes, flaws, negative effects, but that doesn’t mean it’s inherently negative.
Many critics of couples entertainment simply do not care about, relate to, or identify with anything about these people’s lives and probably wonder how people could be so blind as to ignore the obvious signs of their artificial relationship. This is a remarkably subjective take that is no different from somebody who says that the couple is ‘goals’ and the most authentic love they’ve ever seen. The reality of the situation is that neither the critics nor the fans actually know the creators and they are simply offering their opinions on the matter.
The content itself is dry and typically pretty lovey dovey, which inspires me to ask the question:
“Why are you so mad?” – Connor Hanrahan, 2024
Sure, the content is typically staged and yes, it’s usually corny, but do we see people going around slandering the Hallmark Channel because of its unrealistic nature? No. Maybe people aren’t a fan of it but it sure as heck doesn’t enrage people the same way couple content enrages zillennials. Regardless, the content is designed to encourage love and maybe even a little optimism to their single audiences.
Let’s weigh the pros and cons of these channels:
Pros
- Overly cute
- Entertaining
- Typically good vibes and funny in a corny way
- Illustrates an array of human dynamics
- Offers a positive view of romance, no matter how artificial
- Somewhat relatable for people in relationships
Cons
- Typically the content is pretty fake
- Corny
Are there really any more points to make?
How the Content Can Enrich Your Life
Couples content gives a very limited view into the actual lives of the couple, but it offers only the positives from the relationship and sometimes jokes, pranks, or skits. These posts are designed to create a positive reaction within the viewer so that the viewer stays on their page and views more of their content. None of it is clickbait and none of it is built to deceive, outside of sponsored ad content which is naturally both of those.
These interactions with their content can do anything from make the consumer laugh to inspiring them to court a partner so that they can share the same bliss. This is where the line gets blurry.
How the Content Can Hurt Your Life
Should you elect to let this harmless content ruin your day, it could really do so. If you’re single and unwilling to mingle, these relationship pages feel like your algorithm is spitting on your face the same way Valentine’s Day spits in your face every February. It could even cause you to enter a depressive spiral because you have historically been unable or unwilling to court a mate.
Despite all this, the most common reason I have seen online for the harm these channels cause is it gives the viewer an unrealistic expectation for what a relationship is really like. But why? Who is to say that two people cannot get along well enough that they have genuine fun together every day, even if the couples they follow on YouTube only portray that to a camera. Should couples not aim to have a frictionless relationship? Should they not aim to be best friends who kiss sometimes just like the YouTube couple portrayed? Sure their relationship may be fake af, but who is to say that yours will be too because you watched their videos?
Think about family channels. Some of them do vlogs and others do skits. Are either of these wrong or immoral? Is it bad behavior for them to have fun and film themselves while doing it? Sure, some of it seems a little braggadocious, but if you were in their shoes and had the platform and income stipulations they have, would you not do it too?
I absolutely would and I’m willing to bet most of the YouTube couples’ critics would as well.
Interpretation
These experiences I have described are not the fault of the channel itself, they are a personal issue within the viewer.
These channels have millions of followers because they bring that many people joy. Might they have thousands of dislikes if dislike buttons were still a thing? Perhaps. But every source of entertainment has its critics.
- People who don’t care about sports swear that they’re a waste of time.
- People who don’t like Lana del Rey or Taylor Swift swear that their fans are insane.
- People who don’t like reality TV think those audiences are stupid.
- People who don’t like cartoons think that Saturday morning enjoyers are stupid for wasting a weekend watching TV.
There is always a negative to any entertainment, but those negatives are simply a figment of the haters’ opinions. This is the case for YouTube couples.
Luckily, if you aren’t a fan of the content, you can just not watch it. There is a wonderful action we are able to take on social media nowadays called ‘swiping’ and if you swipe off the couple content fast enough, eventually, it will stop showing up on your feed because the algorithm will detect that you aren’t a fan.
I, for one, watch these channels because they remind me of the best times I have had with the people I love most. They also, shocking absolutely nobody, remind me of my girlfriend and the interactions we have when we are apart from one another. Even before her, I used to watch them because they lit up the romantic part of my heart and helped reassure me that no matter how lonely or sad I felt, there was somebody out there for me that I just hadn’t found yet.
These YouTube couples are creating no more harm than anyone on the internet. They come across as overly lovey dovey and corny because that’s exactly what they’re meant to be. They try to epitomize that dream relationship we have all searched for and they do a darn good job of it. Some are cheeky and playful, others are more deadpan and address real life issues. These are not inherently negative content styles, they are offering different views on the thing we have all needed and wanted throughout our lives: love.
Thanks for reading! I used to think Valentine’s Day was a disgusting joke created by ‘Big Candy’ to take our money and pedal loneliness, but thankfully I got a grip and now just appreciate love for what it is. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
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