Social media has become an inextricable part of our lives, especially as smartphones have grown in their ubiquity. As much as it has helped people improve their connections to friends and family from afar (especially during the time of COVID), it also has had an undeniable influence on mental health issues. Studies also show the use of social media could potentially lead to an increased likelihood of divorce.
Here’s a quick overview of some interesting facts.
- Facebook: A study from Boston University concluded that Facebook can be a significant predictor of divorce and other spousal troubles. In addition, it is estimated that Facebook could be at least partially to blame for one in three divorces.
- Twitter: A student at the University of Missouri School of Journalism conducted a study that revealed active Twitter users are more likely to get involved into Twitter-related disputes with romantic partners, which can include results such as physical or emotional cheating and significantly increase the chance of divorce.
- WhatsApp: One attorney mentioned in the Times of London that 40 percent of adulterous divorce cases in Italy included mentions of WhatsApp messages as evidence of cheating.
Experts recommend people take a careful look at how they engage with social media and how it is influencing their mental health and relationships. One of the leading causes of a relationship breakdown is a lack of communication between spouses, which could be caused in part by distraction and investment in social media, or people using social media to find another person who can meet their emotional and mental needs.
For more information about the influence of social media on divorce and how to use evidence of cheating from social media in a divorce, contact an experienced Minnesota divorce lawyer at Appelhof, Pfeifer & Hart, P.A.
