“Orbiting” is another dating trend to worry about, it might be even worse than ghosting. Orbiting refers to when you get ghosted by someone, yet they continue to watch your stories.  They’re still in your ‘orbit’ — not close enough to make sustained and meaningful contact with, but constantly there. 

How do you ask? They are looking at you via your social media.

The term – Orbiting – was coined by Man Repeller’s Anna Iovine, who experienced orbiting firsthand. She had connected with a guy on all her social media platforms after they went on a first date. After their second date, the guy stopped responding to her texts.  However, he oddly,  still watched all of her Instagram Stories, thus keeping Iovine “in his orbit,” as her friend eloquently put it.

Like ghosting, orbiting requires one person in a relationship to inexplicably cut ties and just disappear off the face of the planet (so to speak). The difference is that this person doesn’t go off the grid; instead, they will ghost you and then occasionally pop back into your life usually via social media.

Orbiting is a dating trend that could only occur in the age of social media.

There are several explanations that might explain why people orbit, according to Iovine. It could be a power move, it might be a sign of FOMO (fear of missing out) or an attempt at trying to keep options open.

The dating scene sadly has become quite complicated since the advent of social media. To ensure you are not messing with people’s mental state, just break things off when you are not feeling it. Most important make it clear as daylight and then stay away from their social media accounts.

Social media is certainly not going to paint a better picture of the person you just met. If things didn’t jell in-person social media is going to confuse you and trick you into believing something else. Be an adult and move on and let others move on too and create the opportunity for something new to happen.

If you are a victim of orbiting, just block them from your social media.

It’s just totally not cool to just disappear and then engage in creepy-behaviour.