Teen Says He Doesn't Want to Accept His Brother's Request to Follow Him on Instagram — Here's Why
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03/22/2025 04:00 PM
"Your Instagram is yours, so YOU get to decide who is on there," one commenter wrote to the user on Reddit of his decision
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Instagram on a cell phone (stock image).A teenager is standing his ground when it comes to his relationship with his brother on social media.
In a post on Reddit's "Am I the A------" forum, the man wrote that his stepbrother has requested to follow him on Instagram, but he has no desire to accept it, allowing his sibling to have access to his account and the ability to leave comments on his posts and send him messages.
Explaining that his decision to not accept his brother's follow comes down to "a few reasons," the teen detailed, "I've never been close enough to him for him to be my 'brother' (even tho I've known him his whole life) and I'm way close to my stepsister."
The Redditor added that his sibling is also "the subject of my dad cheating on my mom ... and I don't really like him because of that."
"I know it isn't his fault, but I just don't really like him for that fact," the teen continued.
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Two male teenagers on their phones (stock image).In the comments section of the post, many other Reddit users reminded the man that he can determine what to do with his own social media accounts, because they are his.
"Your Instagram is yours, so YOU get to decide who is on there. ... There isn't anything wrong with setting boundaries," one user wrote, as another added, "You can add who you want."
"If you aren't close and it won't cause issues in the family, no reason to add him. If it will cause issues, you can always add him but block him from seeing your stories, etc," the commenter continued, providing further guidance.
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Others, meanwhile, told the teen that he shouldn't sour his relationship with his stepbrother because of his feelings towards his dad.
"The dislike for your brother is unfair. You shouldn't blame him for your father's actions," said one user. Another wrote, "Keep in mind, the circumstances of his birth aren't his fault, even though I completely understand why you feel the way you do."
