Would you be game enough to take a selfie on a first date? Source: Supplied

Then, just as he leans in for a kiss — or so you think — he whips out his smartphone as the words “Let’s take a selfie” escape his lips.

As strange as it may sound, first-date selfies (#firstdateselfies) are quickly becoming a new trend among couples. From movie nights to picnics in the park, it now seems that no get-together is complete without sharing a snap on Instagram.

However, author and dating coach Tracey Steinberg says such practices are detrimental to budding relationships, and she cautions against #firstdateselfies — which she says people feel compelled to do thanks to an ever-increasing need to document every moment of their lives.

“First dates are light and casual, two strangers sharing a cappuccino,” she says. “There’s no need to broadcast.”

Although she realises there’s no stopping generation Z from posting every waking moment of the day on social media, Steinberg says a line needs to be drawn — and it should start with dating.

“Being in the moment is what the first date is all about,” explains the dating expert. “Taking any time away from that, you’re no longer in the moment and not at your best.”

After all, the whole point of a first date is getting to know someone to see if they’re worth going out with again. Putting an emerging “relationship” in the spotlight of the social sphere is a disaster in the making.

The moral of this story, dear singletons, is to keep all mobile devices and tablets safely stowed away during the date.

This article originally appeared on The New York Post.