Gen Z posts ‘texting rules’ PowerPoint to teach parents messaging etiquette

A 22-year-old posted a PowerPoint “Texting rules” presentation on Instagram to teach his parents how to use messaging reactions and punctuation, arguing that some common replies make recipients seem older. Jason Saperstone opened the presentation by telling his parents, “Mom and Dad, I love you, but you need to get better at texting,” and proceeded to explain what he described as the correct use of emphasis reactions and simple replies.

Saperstone directed particular attention to the exclamation-point reaction available in many messaging apps — which he called an “emphasis” reaction — and said his parents were using it incorrectly. He told them the emphasis reaction should signal agreement, shared experience or a bid for attention, and that in many other cases a thumbs-up or a simple acknowledgment is more appropriate.

In the Instagram post and in follow-up comments, Saperstone walked through decision prompts for users: before emphasizing a message, ask whether you agree with the sender, are in the same situation, or want to get their attention. “Next time you are about to emphasize a text message and ask yourself: do I agree with what they are saying? Am I in the same situation as them? Are they ignoring me and do I want attention? If none apply, a simple thumbs up will work,” he said in the presentation.

The post drew mixed reactions from viewers and highlighted broader generational differences in texting etiquette. Some commenters said they use the emphasis reaction to express surprise or excitement, writing things like “I thought emphasize was the equivalent of saying ‘omg’” and “I use it like ‘omg, whaaat?’” Others joked about younger generations redefining punctuation. Several commentators said they reserve brief markers such as “lol” to soften tone and avoid appearing terse.

Saperstone told TODAY.com that members of his generation have complicated the act of texting by layering new meanings onto app features. “They text with such good intentions,” he said, “but I don’t think they really get all the features. Gen Z has made it tricky for them. We’ve basically created our own language that only we fully understand.”

The exchange on Instagram also intersected with similar conversations about how different generations use common shorthand. On TikTok, millennial Anna Gaddis defended her generation’s habit of appending “lol” to messages, saying critics misunderstand its function as a tone-softener rather than a literal laugh. Commenters on that clip echoed the explanation, saying “if I don’t use ‘lol’ I sound rude” and describing the shorthand as a polite modifier.

Messaging platforms have added reaction options, visual cues and quick-reply features in recent years, changes that have altered how people express agreement, surprise or emphasis without composing full sentences. Technology designers often leave the interpretation of those affordances to users, who may attach different social meanings depending on age, cultural background or peer group.

Experts and users have observed that such differences can produce friction: a reply meant as friendly in one generation can be read as curt or oddly formal by another. The Instagram presentation and the ensuing online discussion underscore how familiar communication tools continue to evolve socially as new features are adopted and repurposed by successive cohorts.

Saperstone’s post does not appear to have been aimed at condemning older users but at reducing misunderstandings by proposing a simple set of usage rules. The exchange adds to an ongoing conversation about how design, language and etiquette intersect in contemporary digital messaging.