Woman Is Upset Friend Didn’t Get Her Approval Before Posting ‘Unflattering’ Photos of Her on Social Media

A young woman is frustrated with her friend for posting “unflattering” photos of her on social media.

Azalea, a 21-year-old, shared her story on Reddit’s Am I the A—— forum. She explained that her friend, referred to as M, posted a candid photo of her eating on Instagram. When Azalea asked M to take it down, she refused.

Azalea described her group of six close friends who often post “photo dumps” on Instagram — collections of casual, unedited pictures. She said she’s always made it clear that she wants to approve any photos where her face is the focus.

“Sometimes people send pics in the group chat first, sometimes they don’t,” she wrote.

At a recent get-together at M’s house, M took “a ton of pics and videos.” Azalea said she had a long day, walked over in the heat, and reminded M that she wanted to check any photos of herself before they went online.

Despite that, M posted a photo dump that included two pictures Azalea didn’t like — one where she was half-blinking and another mid-bite, taken at an awkward angle. Both were tagged with Azalea’s name.

Trying to avoid drama, Azalea texted M and asked her to take the photos down or crop her out. M ignored her text, and when Azalea asked in person, M told her, “You look cute. I’m not editing it, people already liked it.”

Azalea offered alternatives: untag her, blur her face, or crop her out. M rolled her eyes and accused Azalea of “policing her Instagram.” Another friend brushed it off, saying, “It’s not that deep,” and suggested they just head out for the night.

Azalea told M she wasn’t angry, but she didn’t want the photos up. She warned that if M didn’t remove them, she would leave. M replied, “Do what you want.”

“So I left,” Azalea wrote. “I didn’t slam a door or cry, I ordered an Uber, said bye to the others, and went home.”

The next morning, the friend group was split. Some supported Azalea, saying she had “set a boundary respectfully.” Others felt she had made things “weird.” M replaced one of the photos and untagged Azalea in the other but also posted a sarcastic Instagram Story about “people who can’t handle candids.”

Now Azalea is second-guessing herself, wondering if she overreacted, even though she feels she only asked for control over her own image.

In the Reddit comments, many readers backed Azalea. One person wrote, “It’s not difficult to respect someone not wanting their picture plastered everywhere.”

Another added, “Friends should respect requests from other friends. No one likes unflattering photos posted. If she was a true friend, she would understand that.”

A third commenter explained that their sister-in-law loves taking photos but always respects their decision not to be included. “Your friends should respect your boundaries as well,” they said. “If a person tries to force you into something that makes you uncomfortable, are they really your friend?”