Social media contributing factor to divorce

Social media serves many purposes, including communication, staying informed or just following the activities of friends and relatives. However, for some Wisconsin couples, social media may be hazardous to their marriage.

In a study in Great Britain, one in seven people reported considering divorce because of their spouses’ activity on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter or Skype. A fourth of the respondents reported that they fought with their spouses at least once per week over the use of social media, and almost a fifth reported such fights on a daily basis.

Social media has contributed to divorce in another way as well. In a U.S. study, 81 percent of divorce attorneys reported using social network sites as a source of evidence in divorce cases. Two-thirds of the attorneys admitted finding evidence for a divorce case on Facebook, the social media site most frequently cited as a source of evidence.

Many married people use social media on a daily basis with no idea of the double threat that their use may create. Fights about social media use may lead to bigger fights and ultimately to divorce. During the divorce process, status updates, location check-ins and photos on social media may provide valuable evidence to the attorney for the other spouse. Married individuals may want to limit their social media use to an amount or nature that does not become a frequent source of marital tension. An individual who is contemplating divorce for any reason may want to consult a divorce attorney regarding potential evidence that may be gleaned from his or her spouse’s social media accounts as well as potentially negative evidence that may be revealed by his or her own use of social media.