This post isn’t meant to criticize anyone’s Facebook prowess, but I am just seeking clarification. Before I elaborate, let me preface what I am about to say with a fact: I really enjoy many of the current social media engagement trends. In fact, I am so tickled by some of them that I wrote an entire blog post about it last week.

However, I am scratching my head at a certain one that is extremely popular right now. Again, please don’t take this personal if you have participated because it is a fun idea. My point of contention is whether it really does anything to promote the cause it is supposedly triumphing.

I am not a big fan of the senior photo post. You know what I am talking about, right? Facebook users are asked to copy and paste text that states something along the lines of “In solidarity with the Class of 2020, share your own senior pictures no matter how silly or old they might be.” Of course, this text is paired with a photo (or an entire album) from that individual’s senior portrait photoshoot.

If only it was just a prank…

Okay, I couldn’t care less if people are sharing photos from their senior year on social media. Heck, I am known to post images from my unremarkable high school football career. If you want to relive your glory years and celebrate a time when you weighed less and had more hair, I get it.

But my problem is when this reminiscing is done under the guise of a worthy cause.

In no way, shape, or form do I understand how posting professional photos of oneself is “showing support” for this year’s senior class. How does uploading an old photo of yourself to Facebook help a poor high school student dealing with the loss of their senior year? You aren’t “honoring” any students—you are only honoring yourself and perhaps the photographer who took the photos. And if that photographer isn’t a high school senior devoted to media arts, you are falling short there too.

If we truly want to honor the Class of 2020 on social media, I have a few options that I thought of off the top of my head…

1. Post the senior photo of an actual member of the Class of 2020.

2. Share to your wall the photo of the Class of 2020 from the local high school in your area or from the high school you graduated from.

3. Attend and share virtual high school events that are taking place on Facebook Live.

During this time when students are missing out on major rite of passage events that we all got to enjoy, let’s try harder to be empathetic. The focus should be on them, not us. Don’t Blink.