Social media has added an entirely different spin on divorce proceedings. Social media can reveal a lot of information that a partner doesn’t want revealed. Worse, many of the entries are public. Spouses have caught their partners cheating through looking at Facebook histories.
In the UK, a survey was commissioned by Slater and Gordon to see just how many spouses spy on their partners by looking through their Facebook accounts. A little less than half of the 2,000 couples studied spy on their partners. Most said they do it to find out who their partner was talking to and who they were out with. One in seven of those surveyed considered divorcing their partners after seeing their Facebook, Skype, Snapchat, Twitter, and/or WhatsApp accounts.
Worse, half of them said they had their partner’s login information, even if the spouse wasn’t aware. Eight percent had secret social media accounts. And 25% of those surveyed said they had at least one argument a week about social media.
The statistics may not hold up with US couples, but social media does provide new ways for partners to hide, and accidentally reveal, problem behaviors. Even social media addiction can be a stressor in a marriage. If you feel that your partner is hiding something on social media, or ignores you in favor of online interactions, seek help. Call Elise Buie Family Law Group, PLLC for a consultation.