Can Facebook really lead to divorce ?

[panamania79 2]

Facebook is popping up in divorce cases as all those pokes, instant messages and high school flames catch up with folks with cheatin’ eyes, according to one rather unscientific story.

The Telegraph in the UK reports that Facebook is fueling divorce claims:

One law firm, which specialises in divorce, claimed almost one in five petitions they processed cited Facebook.

Mark Keenan, Managing Director of Divorce-Online said: “I had heard from my staff that there were a lot of people saying they had found out things about their partners on Facebook and I decided to see how prevalent it was I was really surprised to see 20 per cent of all the petitions containing references to Facebook.

“The most common reason seemed to be people having inappropriate sexual chats with people they were not supposed to.”

Now that statement has escalated into “research.” The Telegraph even calls it research—it’s one law firm scanning its database.

Let’s get real: You could substitute any technological advance for Facebook and write the same story. Rest assured that cell phones hit the scene and quickly became tied up in divorce proceedings. And texting has to have led to divorce. So has the Internet. I’m sure AOL was mentioned in a few cases too back in the day when it mattered.

Does Facebook have a greater role in divorces than Craigslist.com? How about Yahoo IM? There has to be flirting on IM somewhere. How about Google? If you’re going to do any real research you’d have to compare Facebook’s role in divorces compared to a site like AshleyMadison.com that facilitates affairs.

The point: If people are going to screw around they will. Facebook is just a tool that will ride shotgun along with a bevy of other Web properties. Now things may become a little more public on Facebook, but generally speaking the site can’t be considered the sole catalyst for divorce proceedings.

Larry Dignan is Editor in Chief of ZDNet and Editorial Director of ZDNet sister site TechRepublic. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.

For daily updates, follow Larry on Twitter.

Email Larry Dignan

[zqt3344 21]

Facebook and Myspace are gay!

Facebook is popping up in divorce cases as all those pokes, instant messages and high school flames catch up with folks with cheatin’ eyes, according to one rather unscientific story.

The Telegraph in the UK reports that Facebook is fueling divorce claims:

One law firm, which specialises in divorce, claimed almost one in five petitions they processed cited Facebook.

Mark Keenan, Managing Director of Divorce-Online said: “I had heard from my staff that there were a lot of people saying they had found out things about their partners on Facebook and I decided to see how prevalent it was I was really surprised to see 20 per cent of all the petitions containing references to Facebook.

“The most common reason seemed to be people having inappropriate sexual chats with people they were not supposed to.”

Now that statement has escalated into “research.” The Telegraph even calls it research—it’s one law firm scanning its database.

Let’s get real: You could substitute any technological advance for Facebook and write the same story. Rest assured that cell phones hit the scene and quickly became tied up in divorce proceedings. And texting has to have led to divorce. So has the Internet. I’m sure AOL was mentioned in a few cases too back in the day when it mattered.

Does Facebook have a greater role in divorces than Craigslist.com? How about Yahoo IM? There has to be flirting on IM somewhere. How about Google? If you’re going to do any real research you’d have to compare Facebook’s role in divorces compared to a site like AshleyMadison.com that facilitates affairs.

The point: If people are going to screw around they will. Facebook is just a tool that will ride shotgun along with a bevy of other Web properties. Now things may become a little more public on Facebook, but generally speaking the site can’t be considered the sole catalyst for divorce proceedings.

Larry Dignan is Editor in Chief of ZDNet and Editorial Director of ZDNet sister site TechRepublic. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.

For daily updates, follow Larry on Twitter.

Email Larry Dignan

[scandal 951]

Let’s get real: You could substitute any technological advance for Facebook and write the same story. Rest assured that cell phones hit the scene and quickly became tied up in divorce proceedings. And texting has to have led to divorce. So has the Internet. I’m sure AOL was mentioned in a few cases too back in the day when it mattered.

Just ask Tiger Woods about the trouble your cell phone and texting can cause in your marriage.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

I am the only person in the world not on Facebook.

[natty bumppo 297]

I am the only person in the world not on Facebook.

WRONG !!!!

now go back to your sheep .....

[spookyturtle 9,465]

WRONG !!!!

now go back to your sheep .....

My sheep are on facebook.

[natty bumppo 297]

My sheep are on facebook.

with you?

[spookyturtle 9,465]

with you?

I'm not on facebook. Or did you forget?

[natty bumppo 297]

I'm not on facebook. Or did you forget?

what ... the sheep don't take pics?

[sachinky 465]

Facebook, I think, has made it easier for people to look other people up, reconnect with old high school flames. Sometimes, it's just a catch-up chat. Sometimes it starts off as borderline inappropriate and then spirals out of control, leading to a full-blown affair.

Although I will say--not only has all this new technology made cheating "easier" -- reconnecting with an ex-girlfriend than say picking up some random girl at a bar, it has also actually made it easier to "catch" the cheater at it as well. Too many electronic trails.

Edited December 23, 2009 by sachinky

[Terca 6]

The problem is the lying ####### who uses the technology to cheat, not the medium itself. If it wasn't Facebook then it would be snail mail or phone calls you name it because if there's a will there's a way.

[thongd4me 69]

Facebook can lead to syphillis, gonnorhea and a guy who looks like Peter Faulk rummaging

through your garbage at 3 AM.

[Danno 1,228]

The problem is the lying ####### who uses the technology to cheat, not the medium itself. If it wasn't Facebook then it would be snail mail or phone calls you name it because if there's a will there's a way.

I AGREE, Where there is a will, there is a way... but the truth is people are human (no kidding) and certain environments and settings tend to add momentum for us to do and say things we, normally wouldn't.

[Jenn! 918]

Facebook is to cheating as guns are to murder.

Discuss.

[Jasman0717 9]

Its those damn games, damn Mafia Wars and Treasure Madness, they are addictive.