California residents may be interested in learning about a recent survey suggesting that activities in social media may contribute to divorce in couples. Although the survey was conducted in Britain, divorce attorneys in the United States agree that social media plays an increasing role in many divorce cases. Those conducting the survey suggest that married couples may wish to limit social media use or avoid it altogether.
According to the survey, about 25 percent of couples admitted to getting in an argument about something related to social media at least once per week. About 17 percent admitted to fighting about the subject every day. While not all social media arguments are serious, consistently arguing about social media topics may create unnecessary strain in a relationship.
While constant arguing about social media can lead to strain in a marriage, attorneys have also been finding it a useful tool in divorce cases. The survey also revealed that 58 percent of spouses knew their partner’s password even when the partner was unaware. This access may give a spouse the ability to find evidence that might be otherwise unknown to them and possibly lead to divorce. Attorneys also frequently make use of social media to find evidence in a case that can help determine the outcome of property division or child support and custody decisions. Careless posting on social media sites, Facebook in particular, often reveals important knowledge that attorneys may not have discovered otherwise.
In a society were social media and networking are so prevalent, spouses should remain aware of how social media may affect their relationships and their marriage. A person facing a divorce may also have questions about how their use of social media can affect the divorce. An attorney may be able to advise a client about how social media information is used and what kinds of information should remain off the internet.