Facebook Causes Divorce? - GenZ Scapegoat for Ruined Relationships

Social media seems to be the world of glam and sham. It is all sweet and vibrant over the screen, while the lives beneath are not so happening. Social media platforms like Facebook, Whatsapp, etc. are inevitable in today’s digital world. People may skip on their meals but can not survive an hour without their smartphones. 

There have been various instances whereby people got married to someone they met through Facebook or other social media platforms. These instances are not limited to a particular location, since international marriages also amazed the world in recent times. However, Facebook does not only assist in tying the knot, it also became the reason people broke up. The blog here peeks through the ‘book’ allegedly ruining marriages across the world. 

How Facebook Ruined My Marriage?

If you have the habit of stalking people on social media, you should spare your near and dear ones from this habit. Facebook gives the ease of searching for people over the globe, gives access to their photo gallery, thoughts, travels and visits, etc. This is a huge risk if you conceal some facts, from the past or current acts, from those who are otherwise supposed to know. If someone has been in constant contact with his/ her ex-girlfriend/ ex-boyfriend, the wife/ husband is more likely to know about the same through social media. A 2010 survey by American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers reveals that 20% of US divorces involved Facebook. Even if your spouse does not use social media, it may become a medium to fetch the information through some near-dear ones. Facebook provides an easier mode to communicate with people regardless of the territorial boundaries. Marriages where one spouse is too busy, rude, unsettling, the other may eventually lead towards your ex-spouse through social media. Such events of emotional ease may beget a lot of trouble in marriage. 

Why Facebook Causes Divorce

The social media and divorce statistics often reveal a connection. It is not the technology but the way it is used or misused, which may eventually result in discord in an otherwise healthy relationship. Given below are some of those elements which allege that facebook causes divorce:

Cheating 

The most common divorce grounds in India is cheating or infidelity or adultery. When it comes to Facebook, it could be both emotional or physical cheating. Facebook makes it very much convenient to communicate with friends, family, colleagues, etc. People assume that chats with their exes will remain a secret, but phones are the most accessible to spouses. Hence, these little secrets end up being the major evidence in the courts during divorce proceedings. 

Jealousy

When you can see your wife hanging out with her ex boyfriend in her friends’ group, you will feel jealous. When you see your husband commenting on glamorous pictures of his ex-wife over Facebook, you will definitely be envious. Those emotions are unavoidable since you can access them through your social media stalking skills. Or rather worst, you check your spouse’s phone to keep an eye on their activities. These acts have all the reasons to ruin a happy household. When it comes to social media and human rights, we mostly exclude our spouses of their privacy and that is the most unfavourable aspect for a marriage.  

Comparison

While everyone these days is more than keen for sharing their happy-go-lucky lives on social media, it has increased chances of comparing one's own life with others. While someone is buying a new home, couples of their generation might compare their financial status. This may give birth to discord over financial reasons.

Show-Off

Social media, or rather platforms like Facebook and Instagram are podiums for showcasing your sham happiness, wealth, beauty, etc. There is a funny dialogue going viral on social media that a girl is not as pretty as her Facebook picture and not as ugly as her Aadhaar card picture. Life is not as happening as it seems on social media. But if you are someone who seeks validation from their social media audience for personal events, saving relationships in such scenarios is the most laborious task. 

Facebook or other social media do not only lead to clashes in a marriage, but the risk follows further. If you are someone who is trying to avoid maintenance to wife due to the financial crunch, and end up sharing last week's vacation pictures on social media, it may become easy evidence for your wife to prove your financial concealment. That is why if you are in Kolkata, the local divorce lawyer in Kolkata will always suggest keeping away from posting on social media, anything that can become self incriminating, i.e. proof against self. Not only own, but one should also be wary of posts by friends or other family members, or at least delete or remove tags from others.

FAQs on How Facebook Causes Divorce

Q- How many divorces are caused by Facebook?

A- The answer to what percentage of divorce is caused by Facebook may not be concrete. Since Facebook is just an online platform allowing people to connect digitally. There are no clear numbers of Facebook causing divorce in India, attributing lack of social media and divorce statistics. However, as per reports, 1 in 3 divorce filings mention Facebook. 

Q- Can Facebook cause breakups?

A- Facebook is an online platform that provides ease of access to people whom you may otherwise not be able to connect with easily. It could be old friends, crush, or even ex-spouses. Chatting with someone is not harmful until you start doing something that needs to be concealed from your spouse. The reasons for divorce include cheating, incompatibility, lack of communication, and Facebook may be the indirect source of all of these, causing breakups. 

Q- Can social media break up a marriage?

A- People these days are more visible on their social media handles than in physical gatherings. Everyone is drowned in the virtual world due to entertainment, communication, information, etc. Due to this, people spend the least time with their family. A marriage requires more attention to nurture a healthy relationship. When people give more time on Facebook posts showcasing their happy lives rather than making some sweet memories with their spouse, social media may actually become the scapegoat for climax in such marriages. 

Q- How many divorces happen because of social media?

A- Divorces never attribute to technology, the reason is human psychology. Social media may become a medium for carrying out activities which have the potential to ruin a relationship. While using social media platforms, people often tend to do away with their own identity assuming that their acts can not be traced. However, suspicion often leads to such unexpected results. Social media and divorce statistics often attribute to evidence in courts, resourced from platforms like Facebook and Whatsapp.