According to a new study, individuals who make heavy use of social media websites may be more likely to engage in adultery and/or divorce. Specifically, those who are avid users of Twitter, according to the study, may be at higher risk. The research, of course, has its limitations, among which is the fact that those who participated were more likely to be heavy Twitter users since that is how the survey was promoted.
A similar trend has been reported in previous research regarding the connection between Facebook use and divorce. That study found that those who were heavy users of Facebook were more likely to encounter Facebook-related conflicts with their significant other. Not to mention the fact that Facebook makes it easy to get back in touch with old flames and ruin a current relationship. In some cases, this can lead to infidelity and divorce.
What relevance might Twitter or Facebook-induced infidelity have to divorce itself? In itself, it may have no significance. In no-fault divorce, to be sure, there is no need to prove infidelity in order to obtain dissolution. Whether or not a spouse was unfaithful makes little difference in that respect. Still, a spouse’s conduct or misconduct can be relevant with respect to issues that come up in divorce, particularly child custody and parenting time.
For instance, a spouse who committed adultery during marriage and who carries on in unstable and conflict-ridden relationships may be deemed by a court to not be capable of offering the kind of environment children need for purposes of custody. Such arguments, of course, are subject to the discretion of a judge, who may or may not feel it to be relevant, depending on the circumstances.
One of the reasons it can be helpful to work with an experience family law attorney is that spouses often make such claims against one another in the midst of child custody battles. Having an advocate at one’s side can help ensure that one’s interests are protected in the midst of such accusations.
Source: TIME, “Study Claims People Who Frequently Use Twitter May Be More Likely to Cheat and Get Divorced,” Olivia B. Waxman, April 7, 2014.
