This story by WFTS News in Tampa Bay may be of interest to readers of this blog.

“Till death do us part,” unless Facebook causes you to divorce first

Logging onto Facebook numerous times daily has become a common routine for many people.

“There’s so much conversation going back and forth on Facebook,” St. Petersburg resident Janet Landt said.

For married couples, some of that conversation could lead to divorce.

“I can see where a lot of people would get themselves in trouble,” Landt said.

New research from Lake Legal, a law firm in the UK, shows Facebook is being cited in a third of all divorces.

“The very best evidence comes from Facebook,” divorce attorney Howard Iken said.

Iken is an attorney for Ayo and Iken Law Firm in Tampa Bay. He said he has seen a rise in cases using Facebook as a reason for divorce.

“I would say 30 to 40 percent of the cases have some sort of Facebook involvement,” Iken said.

In most cases infidelity is the main driver behind divorces and split-ups. With most people having smartphones loaded with social media apps like Facebook, it makes it easier for a spouse or a significant other to cheat even when they’re right next to each other.

“People multi-task,” Iken said. “People can be in close proximity and doing things that are completely unacceptable and completely inconsistent with being married.”

Things like getting back in touch with an old flame.

“It’s giving people the courage, the initiative, and the motivation to move forward with something else,” Iken said.

Iken also said Facebook may be the smoking gun needed in divorce cases.

“I personally have done some cases where I’ve submitted very thick books containing 100 percent Facebook posts to court, and a lot of the times it proves the exact point we’re trying to make in the case,” Iken said.

So next time you log in, just remember, what you do in the online fantasy world could have a very real effect on your home life and marriage.

Source: “Till death do us part,” unless Facebook causes you to divorce first (WFTS News, January 21, 2015).

Information provided by K.O. Herston: Knoxville, Tennessee Divorce, Matrimonial and Family Law Attorney.