ABSTRACT
In this chapter I outline the social media rules these teens use to guide their presentations. These rules decrease uncertainty about how their presentations will be received by their audiences and provide a framework for teens’ impression management work. Rule following solidifies group belonging, or at the very least ensures they are not out of the group. This is not necessarily a negative thing, as it allows them to visually confirm their answer to the “where do I fit in” question. Their conceptions of the self are bounded by the collective identity. The rules are both universal and specific; all the teens followed them, but they interpreted and applied the rules in unique ways. The chapter outlines the key rules I observed participants following. I use participants’ stories and images to illustrate the rules and the specific ways they follow them. I end the chapter by invoking Erikson’s (1980) conceptualization of adolescent social belonging to understand the ways they police rule violations; they are intolerant of mistakes as a means to confirm their social position. Social belonging is earned or lost, and they are hyper-aware that rule violation is a visual symbol of a lack of social understanding.
