20 Hilarious Social Media Fails from Boomers
Social media can be tricky, and even Boomers have their moments. From funny typos to wild misunderstandings, these fails are guaranteed to make you smile.
1. Accidental Public Messages
Boomers often confuse public posts and private messages, leading to personal or embarrassing messages being shared with everyone. For instance, a heartfelt message meant for a single person, like “Hey, I finally figured out how to send a private message!” ends up being posted on their wall for all to see. This can result in family secrets or personal anecdotes being broadcast to their entire friend list.
2. Replying to Everything
Some Boomers feel the need to reply to every comment or post, even when it’s not necessary. You’ll see replies like “LOL” or “Thanks!” on every single comment, no matter the context. This often leads to long threads of somewhat redundant comments, making it clear they are eager to engage with everyone, even if it means filling up the comment section with repetitive responses.
3. Misusing Hashtags
Trying to get in on the hashtag trend but often misusing them, Boomers might add hashtags to their posts that have no relevant context. A post about their garden might include “#Dinner #Winter #Cats” with no apparent connection, leaving followers puzzled. They might also string together entire sentences as hashtags, like “#ThisIsMyFirstGardenPost,” not realizing hashtags are meant to be brief and relevant keywords.
4. Using Social Media Like Email
Writing lengthy, formal posts on social media as if they are emails is another common Boomer misadventure. They might start with “Dear All,” and end with “Sincerely, John,” turning every comment or message into a mini-essay. This old-school approach can be endearing but often looks out of place on the casual, brief nature of social media platforms.
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5. Overuse of Ellipses
A penchant for using ellipses to end every sentence makes their posts look mysterious or like they have more to say but never do. For example, a post like “Just had a great dinner with the family…” leaves followers wondering if there’s more to come, even when there isn’t. This habit can make their online communication seem unfinished or overly dramatic.
6. The Selfie Struggle
Attempting to take selfies but either cutting off half their face or capturing an unflattering angle is a common Boomer mishap. A post might say, “Here’s my new haircut!” followed by a picture that mostly shows their forehead or the top of their head. Their struggles with angles and framing often lead to unintentionally funny photos that their friends and family gently correct.
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7. Chain Posts
Forwarding chain posts that promise good luck or warn of dire consequences if not shared is another Boomer hallmark. Posts like “If you don’t forward this to 10 friends, you’ll have bad luck for seven years!” often flood their timelines. Despite younger generations largely abandoning these posts, Boomers continue to share them out of habit or genuine concern for the consequences.
8. All Caps and Punctuation
Using all caps or excessive punctuation to make a point can make their posts seem unintentionally aggressive or overly enthusiastic. A birthday message might look like “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!!” or “WHY ISN’T THIS WORKING?????” This habit often leads to confusion about their emotional tone, prompting comments from friends and family asking them to turn off the caps lock.
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9. Misinterpreting Emojis
Using emojis in the wrong context is another common mishap. They might use a thumbs-up emoji for condolences or a crying face for happy news. For instance, a message like “So proud of you! 😢” can lead to confusing or mixed signals. Helping them understand the typical meanings and contexts of different emojis can prevent these miscommunications.
10. Grammar Police
Some Boomers feel compelled to correct everyone’s grammar and spelling in comments, even when the original message is clear. They might respond to a friend’s casual post with “You’re* doing great!” even when the correction wasn’t necessary. This habit, though well-intentioned, can come off as pedantic and sometimes annoy their friends and family.
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11. Sharing Clickbait
Falling for and sharing clickbait articles with sensationalist headlines without reading them is a frequent Boomer blunder. Posts like “You won’t believe what happens next!” often appear on their timelines, leading friends to click on dubious links. Explaining how to recognize and avoid clickbait can help them navigate their news feeds more effectively.
12. Tagging Randomly
Tagging everyone they know in unrelated posts, such as tagging their entire friend list in a picture of their cat, is another amusing mistake. “Look who stopped by! @John @Mary @Sue @Bob @Everyone” might appear on a post featuring a random garden photo. Teaching them the etiquette of tagging can help reduce the confusion and clutter this creates.
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13. Facebook Games Invites
Sending game invites and requests to everyone, clogging up friends’ notifications with invites to join them in games like Candy Crush or Farmville, is a classic Boomer move. Despite numerous polite requests to stop, they might not realize how to disable these notifications, leading to a stream of unwanted game requests in everyone’s notifications.
14. Over-Sharing
Sharing every detail of their day, from breakfast to bedtime, as if everyone needs to know, is a typical Boomer habit. Posts like “Just had my morning coffee. Now off to the store!” followed by updates every hour can fill up news feeds quickly. Gently suggesting they save some updates for more significant moments can help balance their sharing habits.
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15. Wrong Platform, Wrong Time
Posting comments meant for one platform on another can lead to confusion. They might tweet a Facebook status or post a LinkedIn update meant for Instagram. “Check out my new job!” on Instagram with a link to their LinkedIn profile shows a misunderstanding of how different platforms are used. Helping them understand the unique purposes of each platform can streamline their social media presence.
16. Overuse of Filters
Applying every available filter to a single photo, making it nearly unrecognizable, is a common Boomer faux pas. A post saying “Just a normal day at the park!” accompanied by an overly edited, psychedelic picture can leave followers puzzled. Explaining the subtleties of filter use and encouraging a more natural approach can improve their photo-sharing game.
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17. Commenting on Ads
Engaging in heartfelt or confrontational conversations in the comment sections of sponsored posts and ads is another frequent Boomer activity. “Why would anyone buy this? It’s a rip-off!” or “This is exactly what I need!” appears in the comments of a product ad, turning a simple advertisement into a lively discussion. Clarifying the nature of ad comments versus personal posts can help reduce these interactions.
18. Sharing Old News
Sharing news articles that are years old as if they just happened is a classic Boomer mistake. A post saying “Can you believe this?!” followed by an article from 2012 can lead to confusion or misinformation. Teaching them to check the publication date before sharing can help keep their news feed relevant and accurate.
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19. Misunderstanding Memes
Posting memes but not quite understanding the joke often results in confusing or out-of-context posts. A meme like “I don’t always drink coffee, but when I do… I drink it at home,” used in a post about a dentist appointment, shows a misunderstanding of meme culture. Explaining the humor and context behind popular memes can help them join in the fun more appropriately.
20. The Accidental Like
Liking old posts or photos by mistake while scrolling through someone’s timeline is a common Boomer blunder. “John liked your photo from 2010” can be a surprising notification for the recipient. Explaining how to navigate profiles without unintentionally liking old posts can prevent these accidental interactions.
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