Key Takeaways
A quiet post, a loud reaction
A simple photo of an old first communion card from Argentina received an unexpected like from a glamorous, verified influencer on Instagram.
What the blue check really says
A verified badge on Instagram confirms that an account is authentic and notable, not that its actions are personal or intimate. [1]
Influencers work like small media companies
Many influencers use tools such as the Amazon Influencer Program and active liking to bring people to their profiles and online shops. [2]
Feeling flattered is natural, staying careful is wise
A surprise like can feel special, but any later request for money, personal data, or strange links should be treated with great caution. [3][4][5]
Story & Details
A family memory goes online
The scene starts with a small card printed more than sixty years ago. It marks a girl’s first communion, held on 27 October 1963 in a church in Argentina. The paper is pale, the letters soft and brown, and the message speaks of a beautiful day and a promise to pray. A relative keeps this card safe for decades, then, in the age of smartphones, decides to share it as a photograph on Instagram. It is a gentle post, meant more as a family memory than as a bid for attention.
A stranger with a blue check
Among the handful of likes from friends, one name stands out. It belongs to Naomi Snyder, a verified Instagram user. Her profile picture shows a woman with careful makeup and strong lighting. Her bio says she is a mother of three, a lawyer, and a model who celebrates turning fifty. The line of cities in her profile hints at a life that has moved through several places in the United States. Below the bio, a link leads to a curated shopping page on a large online marketplace, filled with beauty products and lifestyle items that promise commission when visitors buy.
Life as an influencer and seller
This type of page is part of the Amazon Influencer Program. The program gives creators their own storefront inside Amazon, lets them select products they like, and pays them a commission when followers shop through their links. [2][17][32] For many people like Snyder, social media is not only a place to share moments. It is also a workplace, a marketing channel, and a shop window.
Her feed looks like a mix of family album and fashion magazine. There are studio portraits in black clothes, relaxed holiday photos on boats and beaches, and images of her children posing, playing, and meditating. Captions speak about gratitude, positive energy, and making good choices with time and relationships. It is a polished public life, built for attention but wrapped in warm language.
How the blue check works
The small blue tick next to her name is called a verified badge. Instagram gives it to accounts that can prove they are authentic and notable. The badge helps other users see that an account really belongs to the person or brand it claims to represent. [1][4][16][31] For influencers, that tick is a sign of status. It can bring better reach, more trust, and sometimes extra features. For regular users, it simply means that the person who liked their post is not a fake profile.
Why influencers like posts from strangers
The surprising part in this story is not that Naomi Snyder exists, or that she promotes products. The surprising part is that she liked a quiet, personal photo from a stranger, one that shows no glamour at all. The reason is less mysterious than it feels.
Influencers often grow their audience by engaging with many accounts every day. They search by hashtag, topic, or location. They like, follow, or leave short comments on posts made by people who might enjoy their content. Sometimes this is done by a manager. In other cases it is done with tools that semi-automate the process, acting on chosen types of posts. The goal is simple: if enough people notice the like, some will tap on the profile picture, explore the feed, and maybe follow or click on the shop link.
From the influencer’s side, the like is part of a business strategy. From the family member’s side, it can feel almost magical, as if a star has briefly looked in their direction.
The feelings behind the notification
For the person who posted the communion card, the like arrives on an ordinary evening, in a year when social media has become even more central to daily life. By December 2025, this moment already belongs to the past, but the feeling it creates is common and current.
There is a flash of pride: a famous-looking person has seen something deeply private. There is also confusion: why this card, this old ceremony, this girl from long ago? The answers live in the gap between human emotion and digital logic. Algorithms do not understand the emotional weight of a memory. They see only an image that fits a pattern: a face, a card, a caption, a location. To a growth strategy, one more heart is just another move in a long, quiet campaign for attention.
Safety in the middle of flattery
Even if the like is mostly business, it can become the start of something riskier. Many fraud attempts begin with an innocent-looking interaction on social media. Official advice from security agencies is very clear: strangers who ask for personal information, money, or quick action should not be trusted. [2][3][6][14][18][22][26][30]
If an account, even a verified one, sends a direct message asking for bank details, investment in a scheme, or login codes, it is safer to ignore or block the request. Privacy settings should stay strict. Multi-factor authentication can help protect accounts. Location features are best kept off except when really needed. [2][3][14][22][26][30]
A like on a gentle religious card is harmless on its own. What happens next depends on how carefully people protect themselves.
A tiny Dutch language detour
There is a small, useful way to think about online praise in Dutch, even without seeing the words. When Dutch speakers say they like something, the literal idea is often “I find this nice.” The pattern is simple: a subject, the verb “find,” and the thing that is “nice.” Remembering this idea can help learners understand local comments on their posts and can make simple compliments easier to read.
Conclusions
A brief spark in a crowded feed
A famous-looking account liking a quiet, personal picture feels like a special event. It shines for a moment in the notification bar, then disappears into the endless scroll of new posts.
Business dressed as attention
For many verified influencers, such likes are not random acts of kindness. They are part of an organised effort to grow an audience and guide people toward shops and links.
Keeping the heart, guarding the data
It is still fine to smile at the thought that a well-known face looked at a beloved family memory. The key is to enjoy the small ego boost while keeping a clear head about privacy and safety. In a world where one tap can cross oceans, the safest habit is simple: welcome the compliment, but keep personal information, money, and trust on a much shorter leash.
Selected References
[1] Instagram Help Center – “Verified badges on Instagram.” https://help.instagram.com/733907830039577
[2] Amazon Associates – “What is the Amazon Influencer Program?” https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/help/node/topic/GTP6NKQ2GXPZL7AT
[3] National Cyber Security Centre (United Kingdom) – “Social media: how to use it safely.” https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/social-media-how-to-use-it-safely
[4] Stop Think Fraud (United Kingdom Government campaign) – “Stay safe on social media.” https://stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk/protect-yourself-from-fraud/protecting-against-online-fraud/stay-safe-on-social-media/
[5] Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (United States) – “Staying Safe on Social Networking Sites.” https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/staying-safe-social-networking-sites
[6] Cyber.gov.au (Australian Cyber Security Centre) – “Secure your social media.” https://www.cyber.gov.au/protect-yourself/staying-secure-online/connecting-others-online/secure-your-social-media
[7] Information Commissioner’s Office (United Kingdom) – “Online safety: social networking.” https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/online/social-networking/
[8] Behind the News (ABC News, Australia) – “Online Safety – BTN Special” . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gk8xEEmMMYk
Appendix
Amazon Influencer Program
A system run by Amazon that gives approved social media creators their own storefront inside Amazon, lets them show products they choose, and pays them a commission when followers buy through their links.
Dutch Language Note
A simple way to think about how Dutch speakers express liking something: the idea is often “I find this nice,” with a subject, a verb meaning “find,” and an object that is “nice,” which helps learners read friendly comments on their posts.
First Communion Card
A small printed card used in Catholic tradition to remember a child’s first communion, usually showing the name, date, place, and sometimes a short religious text.
Influencer
A person who builds a following on platforms such as Instagram or YouTube and uses that audience to share ideas, promote products, or earn income through ads, sponsorships, or affiliate programs.
Instagram Verified Badge
A blue check mark symbol on Instagram that shows the platform has confirmed an account is the real presence of a notable person, brand, or organisation.
Social Media Safety
A set of habits, tools, and rules that help people protect their accounts, personal data, money, and mental wellbeing while using platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and others.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 