This Website Is Responsible For 1 In 7 Divorces
If you want to keep your status "in a relationship," stay off this popular site.
Getty I don't know why, but there's nothing quite like reconnecting with an old schoolmate or friend via Facebook. I love seeing photos from people's lives and hearing their updates.
Sometimes I get jealous when I see posts about their perfect marriage, how hubby once again surprised them with flowers, a vacation in Bali, or a kid's birthday party where the entire cast of Modern Family performed.
As jealous as I get at their perfection, the bonds of their relationships grow stronger, but apparently, I'm completely be wrong.
According to a study from Boston University, 32 percent of heavy Facebook users consider leaving their spouse. Researchers found that, in general, Facebook is a positive, significant predictor of divorce rate and spousal troubles.
"The study looked at date to understand human behavior as it's affected by communication technology, especially technologies that are mobile-based," say James E. Katz, director of Boston University's Center for Mobile Communication Studies.
"We believe being aware of this situation will empower Facebook users to better understand the implications of their activities and then allow them to make much more informed decisions."
Despite Facebook being an overall positive experience for its users, one in seven people said they'd considered divorce because of their spouses' questionable activity on Facebook, Skype, Snapchat, and Twitter.
Almost one-fourth of those polled by the law firm Slater and Gordon said they'd at least one argument a week related to social media use, with 17 percent admitting they fought about it every single day.
But wait! Facebook doesn't just lead to people calling their attorneys; it also helps find evidence for their case.
In 2010, 81 percent of divorce lawyers surveyed by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers said they'd seen an increase in the number of cases using social networking evidence in the five years prior.
The attorneys said that Facebook was the number one source for finding online evidence, with 66 percent admitting that they'd found evidence by combing the site.
It seems as if people just don't know how to properly filter their social media usage. But if you care about your marriage, maybe it's time to deactivate your profiles.