You need a clever line to send to your crush. You immediately send to the group with the company, so that they can strengthen your ideas. No reply. Or maybe you thought you looked pretty cool last night — that is, until you saw the photo your friend tagged you in. Or maybe your bestie sent you about 536 TikToks that you need to analyze, but her sense of humor just… doesn’t resonate with you. What are you doing;

In a world where we can stay connected virtually 24/7, friendship extends beyond telling your friend they have something in their teeth and agreeing to all show up to brunch in “jeans and a nice top.”

Now there’s group chats, taking photos during a night out, unfollowing exes and ex-friends, tagging in comments for giveaway entries, and more. What should real friends be like behind a screen? Bustle surveyed its readers and here are the results.

  • Keep following your ex-friends

Although 30% of readers will unfollow or even block their ex-friends, a solid 70% will continue to follow them… for research purposes, of course. After all, who else is going to tell your best friend that their person just adopted a goldendoodle with their new partner?

  • In the comments, you change

Sure, you’ve already helped them choose which photo to put first in their dump and which caption fits for 15 minutes before posting it, but no one needs to know that. 65% of readers will comment as if they’ve never seen the image before, and when it comes to engagement or birthday posts, nearly 55% will say something more inspiring than a simple emoji or “Congratulations!”

  • Asking permission to post a photo is the least you could do

You know the golden rule: Treat others as you want to be treated. Would you like your bestie to post a 4K picture of you looking badass? Probably not. As a general guideline, 54% of people said it’s best to get approval from others first. That is, unless it’s a group shot from a special occasion that revolves around you, like a birthday or bachelorette party — in which case, you’re free to post the photo you prefer, even if others cross paths pyre. Nearly three-quarters of Bustle readers won’t speak up if they don’t like the way they look, so take that as a sign to think before you post: Do you really want to be that person? Control never hurt anyone.

  • Your friends might hate memes

73% of respondents will simply like a meme to show they saw it. “My friends and I rate the videos,” says one person. Almost 80% will ignore a meme if it didn’t really make them laugh, unless the content is problematic or offensive. So, for the sake of your friendship and FYP, let your friends know if you don’t like their memes.

  • Close friend stories are not a true sign of close friendship

Don’t think that being added to private history means you’re actually close friends with someone. As one person put it, the greenlight list should be mostly “people who pass the vibe check” – meaning yes, they don’t have to be part of your inner circle.

  • Don’t be the one who doesn’t want to take pictures

“I am 100% the one who will fight to get the perfect shot [για έναν φίλο]says one respondent. “I’ll even keep my own flash to make sure the lighting is right, but I don’t want it to be the focus of the outing.” 56% of people agree that they will do whatever it takes to get the perfect shot. If you’re one of those people who doesn’t want to be the photographer, you’ll have to compromise a bit or start a “15 minute” rule. However, if you’re in front of the camera, you should also be aware of the length of your photo shoot and make sure it doesn’t detract from the purpose of the hangout. It’s always nice to ask your favorite photographer if they want some photos too.

  • You don’t have to follow them all back

It’s actually okay to unfollow every person you meet who finds you online — and yes, that includes the random girl you became best friends with during those five fleeting minutes in the bar bathroom. Only 31% are certified #TeamFollowBack in each case. 37% of readers follow them only to unfollow them later. As one person said, “I’ll probably forget to unfollow them, so I’ll see their posts for years to come and forget where I know them from.”

  • Responses within hours (but never the next day)

Unless you’re doing some FBI-level research to find out if this high school couple broke up, don’t expect immediate answers. Give people some space and the answer will come in a few hours. In fact, you should probably manage your expectations based on what you know about your friends’ average screen time habits. If you know that they are usually offline, it is unfair to think that they will reply to your message as soon as possible. Of course, context matters here, so if your significant other is asking for immediate advice after a breakup or needs to cheer up after some bad news at work, a timely response is superior. For your part, though, don’t procrastinate too much: Only 19% of people think it’s okay to text a day late.

  • You’re not a bad friend if you just send iMessage Reactions

If you don’t have the time to craft a thoughtful response, an iMessage reaction like a highlight or a heart is more than enough, nearly 50% say, but only in group chats where others are likely to be chatting. “If it’s an explicit question, it always requires an answer,” says one respondent. For one-on-one conversations, a response within a few hours is standard.