Loyalty tests are becoming popular on TikTok, where people are paying users to message their partners to see whether they would cheat.
Now, odds are, if someone feels the need to test their partner’s loyalty, they probably shouldn’t be with them in the first place. Whether their emotions and suspicions are grounded in fact or theory, the mere urge to fool their partner into potentially cheating says enough about the quality of the relationship.
People Are Paying TikTokers to Give Their Partners ‘Loyalty Tests’
That’s not to say their feelings aren’t valid, of course. We all tend to experience relationship doubts from time to time. Sometimes, these doubts are rooted in actual reason. For example, if you’re with a partner who constantly disrespects or betrays you, of course, you’re going to feel insecure in your relationship.
Such was the case for Sarah (not her real name), a 28-year-old mother who spoke with Well+Good about paying someone $140 to test her lying husband’s loyalty.
Why did she choose to do this? Well, he’d already shown signs of disloyalty by flirting with other women on Instagram, and he was being extra secretive with his phone.
“My gut was telling me something, and I was like, ‘I hope it’s not true,’” Sarah told the outlet. Turns out he hadn’t changed in the slightest. “It’s horrible, but I’m glad [the loyalty tester] was able to send me the proof that I needed.”
In this case, Sarah’s intuition was right—and she probably didn’t need to spend $140 to prove it. But being a mother of two young kids, of course, it’s not easy to trust your gut and file for divorce after already working through previous betrayals.
Not every situation is like this, however. Plenty of people turn to these TikTok loyalty tests with no prior reason for doubting their relationship. They’re simply feeling curious and insecure, perhaps due to a previous cheating partner. Many will project lingering suspicions from a past fling onto a new and innocent lover.
But whether your significant other is being shady or not, it’s important to acknowledge where your doubts and insecurities stem from so you can appropriately address them. If you can’t trust your partner—regardless of the reason—perhaps it’s time to find a new one or spend some time on your own, healing old wounds.
But going as far as to test your partner? Well, that just seems like a waste of time, energy, and—in some cases—money.
The post TikTok Loyalty Testers Will Catch Your Boyfriend Cheating—for a Price appeared first on VICE.