Facebook was originally a concept by young people, for young people. College students in America flocked to the social media site in their thousands, then millions. Soon, the concept of linking with friends old and new became a very appealing concept to people in their 20’s, then 30’s and now virtually every generation seems to be spending time on their computers connecting with friends and family online instead of spending time connecting with friends and family in real life. Even married couples seemingly devote less time to their relationship in favour of posting status updates online.
And that is where the problem lies. Facebook is increasingly being highlighted in many divorce proceedings because one spouse has read or seen things on the ‘wall’ of the other spouse that played a part in the breakdown of the marriage.
The obvious culprit of a social media-fuelled divorce would be photographic evidence of one party participating in adulterous affairs. At times it doesn’t even have to be photos… flirtatious messages back and forth to a third party result in jealously, suspicion and confrontation. The worst type are actually played out on social media, with each spouse hurling insults and accusations back and forth while friends and family watch in amusement/horror as the dirty laundry is very openly aired on social media.
Connecting with former flames seems to be the cause of much social media marital strife, as a husband or wife sits back and watches their spouse stroll down memory lane with an ex, reminiscing of time spent together and what might have been.
Not all marital meltdowns on social media are the result of a cheating spouse. Another phenomenon is a husband or wife reading the thoughts and feelings of their partner about various subjects on social media, and realising they actually do not particularly care for the person’s true persona. This is usually over a much longer course of time, but it has appeared in multiple divorce petitions that are filed.
In America, where this is far more common than in the UK, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers surveyed its 1,600 lawyers, who reported that 81 percent of the nation’s top divorce attorneys have seen a sharp increase in the number of cases where social media is cited as evidence of grounds for divorce.
A marriage is usually fractured before social media plays its part in the demise of a relationship, so it would be unfair to say Facebook and other social media platforms are a culprit in destroying families. Sometimes people just grow apart. The best way to move forward is being as amicable as possible, and if there are children involved, put their needs first. Lund Bennett can help you navigate this difficult transition. Call our caring, professional team today for a consultation.