On behalf of The Marks Law Firm, L.L.C. posted in Legal Separation on Monday, November 22, 2010
A multitude of factors may contribute to a couple seeking to end their marriage through a divorce or a legal separation, but one of the most common factors is infidelity. Infidelity does not always consist of one spouse seeking a physically sexual relationship with a person outside of the marriage. Some spouses may consider sharing an extremely emotional bond with another person cheating whether or not extramarital intercourse was involved.
Marriage therapists have begun to warn couples of the double edged sword of social media networks and the text messaging capabilities on mobile phones. The new technology allows people to connect with others in a matter of seconds, but therapists caution the immediate, faceless connections are a gateway to infidelity.
One therapist remembered the “old days” when an impulse to contact another person with whom you may have felt a physical or emotional spark was tempered by having to think about what you were doing. Calling over a conventional landline telephone means risking another’s spouse answering the phone or your own spouse overhearing your conversation. With the new technology, you could be sitting on the couch texting a “friend” while your spouse sits across from you, unaware. Quick, impulsive behavior can lead to relationships you may not have otherwise begun.
Therapists have suggested sharing Facebook passwords as a way of openly communicating with your spouse about your trust and honesty. When you share your password, you are forced to consider whether you would want your spouse seeing what you have written. If you question it, it is probably crossing a line.
Source: NPR “Can Social Media Break Up A Marriage” Jennifer Ludden 11/2/10