Social media has become part of everyday life for many people. Many people are checking Facebook as often as they check their e-mail. While social media platforms can be useful tools for keeping in touch with long-distance friends, some say that they can also be damaging to marriages and other romantic relationships.
A former Judge Pro Tem in the San Diego family courts says he’s noticed that an increasing number of breakups both locally and nationally are caused at least partially by Facebook. The trend isn’t surprising, he says, because new-age social media is not part of a traditional marriage. He also states, however, that Facebook provides greater opportunity for temptation as well as a way to maintain anonymous relationships.
A recurring theme in the Facebook divorce story is a rekindled relationship from one spouse’s past. Because people are so accessible on Facebook, it can spark a curiosity about a person from the past. If regular communication persists, this can lead to a full-blown affair, whether or not that was the original intent. When the other spouse notices a questionable post or picture, it can be very damaging to a marriage.
The vice president of the AAML offers some words of wisdom for people involved in a south Florida divorce: Don’t put anything on Facebook that you don’t want a judge to see. She says Facebook is being used more and more as evidence in divorce cases, so bad-mouthing an ex in a status update might not be a good idea.