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By Avery Finch, Lifestyle & Etiquette Columnist
January 17, 2026

In the delicate social ecosystem of 2026, the act of “liking” a post has transcended mere social validation; it has become a matter of civil defense. As whispers grow that the White House may reconsider the TikTok Divestiture Deal based on the President’s recent engagement metrics, we must face a factual, if slightly satirical, reality: your double-tap is no longer an opinion—it is a vote for national connectivity. If the “YMCA” remix doesn’t hit a million likes by midnight, we may all find ourselves back on MySpace by Monday.

The etiquette of engaging with a “Commander-in-Chief-Influencer” requires more than just a casual swipe. We are witnessing the rise of Performative Patriotism, where the savvy citizen understands that a healthy “Like-to-View” ratio is the only thing keeping the federal government from pulling the plug on our favorite algorithms. To avoid being part of the “Shadow-Ban” that triggers a legislative tantrum, one must follow the new rules of Digital Diplomacy.

First, the “Heart” is mandatory, but the “Share” is where the true loyalty lies. In 2026, a post that doesn’t reach “Viral Velocity” within the first six minutes is viewed by the West Wing as a personal betrayal by the TikTok Algorithm. Second, comments must be “High-Energy.” Generic emojis are insufficient; the modern etiquette demands at least three exclamation points and a reference to “Peak Performance.” We have reached a point where the most stylish thing you can do for your country is to ensure the President’s feed looks like a digital ticker-tape parade. Failure to do so isn’t just rude—in the eyes of a frustrated Executive, it’s practically an invitation for a nationwide service outage.