Will Facebook Destroy Your Marriage?
It turns out that one of the most significant impacts that the rapid spread of Facebook is having on society may be ... destroying marriages?The Telegraph reports that by reconnecting old flames and enabling new ones, Facebook is tempting to people to cheat on their partners. One law firm that specializes in divorce asserts that almost one in five petitions they process cite Facebook as a reason, as spouses are finding evidence of flirting and even affairs on the site.
The 20 percent statistic may be high as it comes from a law firm that handles divorces online, but Mark Keenan, managing director of Divorce-Online, says that after hearing from his staff that Facebook was a recurring issue, he confirmed the 20 percent figure. "The most common reason seemed to be people having inappropriate sexual chats with people they were not supposed to," he says.
The article even mentions one 35-year-old woman who discovered her husband was divorcing her when he updated his Facebook status to read: "Neil Brady has ended his marriage to Emma Brady."
14 comments:
I guess Facebook may offer another, pretty new, occasion to lightweight cheating on wife or husband, but I can't imagine it as a decisive cause for a divorce. Because the cause usually is a relation between wife and husband which is unsatisfactory, unhappy or even ruined.
Colson,
I think a wife or husband started Facebook because he/she is unhappy or unsatisfactory or ruined with the partner.
Hi Nizam,
How are you getting on?
I find it quite difficult to digest that facebook plays such an important role. 20% is quite a high figure.
I still think, to say that facebook plays such an important role is quite an over-statement.
Advance Happy New Year 2010!!!
Mystique Earth,
You are right, the percentage is based on the number of divorce cases handled by a law firm, 1 out of 5 cases, thus cannot be regarded as representing larger community. Other law firms may perhaps have different percentage.
Thank you for your comment.
When the bond between a couple is no longer strong any distraction can be a reason for a breakup;on or offline..good article my friend..food for thoughts :)
Umihoney,
You are very right, and in this case Facebook is only a media for distraction, it can happen anywhere.
If this percentage is real that is really shocking. But I think if a person is prone to cheating they will cheat with or without Facebook.
Happy New Year to you too!!!
Clamzee,
Yes you are right, if someone is prone to cheating he/she will do it with or without Facebook.
Thanks for dropping by, and Happy New Year.
If it's not face book, then its twitter, and so forth. The problem is not twitter, but the fact that today it is much easier to find relationships/sexual content in the media than 50 years ago.
Carlo,
The cheating has existed for a long time ago, only now social media makes them more transparent.
The problem here is lack of personal accountability/responsibility. Find anyone or anything to blame but the cheating spouse. Facebook may facilitate things, but it is not to blame. Only the one who gives in to temptation (or seeks it out) is to blame.
Holly,
I fully agree with you.
Thank you for your comment.
this one is funny, my wife is always on facebook. dont think it will destroy our marriage though.
Do agree. FB is not the main reason. But as Nizam says, it usually starts with one partner being unhappy or lonely or having midlife crisis, then seeing an old flame on fb might rekindle back the old feelings.
Happy new year Nizam :)
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