Many people say that they would cheat on their spouse of significant other if they knew they wouldn’t be caught. Facebook seems to make that idea become a reality, but the opposite is actually true. Facebook affairs get caught just as often as other ways that people go about cheating on their loved ones.
In one survey, 41% of people who admitted that they had cheated said that their actions on Facebook is what led them to get caught.
The Relationship of Facebook Affairs
Text messages, phone call records on the mobile phone, and other communications are still more common methods of having an affair discovered, but Facebook continues to grow. Many people don’t realize that Facebook tracks all activities on the site. That information does more than just out someone. It creates the foundation for a sizable divorce settlement.
- 66% of attorneys say that they have used evidence that was collected from Facebook as part of a divorce case.
- The percentage of attorneys who say that they have seen at least one case involve Facebook information within the past 5 years: 81%.
- 41%. That’s the percentage of marriages where at least one person admits that they have cheated on their spouse at least once.
- 57% of men and 54% of women who have cheated in one relationship will cheat in future relationships, especially with the ease of emotional infidelity access on Facebook.
- 35% of those who have cheated said that the incident occurred because of a business trip. This is the same percentage who will have a Facebook affair with a co-worker.
- Family isn’t exempt from Facebook affairs either. 17% of those who cheat on their married spouse will do so with one of their in-laws.
- 56% of husbands who admitted to cheating said that they were happy with their marriages overall.
- 23% said it was a one-time thing.
In a world that is becoming more digital, the side effect is that people lose the physical contact that is so important to maintain relationships. Having someone “like” a status update doesn’t mean as much as a hug and an “I love you” from a spouse. With longer hours being worked and separate lives being lived, Facebook becomes the place where people can connect with each other. The thought of human contact is a powerful motivator and spurs along feelings of infidelity, even if it doesn’t physically happen.
Is Facebook Cheating Really Cheating?
- 78% of men and 88% of women deny ever having extramarital sex, which would not need to occur for a Facebook affair to occur.
- In a national survey, 10% of women had a secondary sexual partner. For married women, it was just 4%.
- 1.5% of married individuals admit that they’ve had at least one other sexual partner besides their spouse within the last 12 months.
- On any given year, the chances that a spouse will have a Facebook affair: 6%.
Facebook affairs are dangerous because they can encompass all three types of cheating. Emotional-only cheaters can chat with someone and develop strong emotions. Those who are only interested in having sex can set up a time and location. Those who are looking for both needs to be met can also accomplish their goals. Since 2 in 7 people in the world today are on Facebook, the world has become a very small place in some ways. That closeness can easily lead to the temptation to have an affair.
Is A Facebook Affair Just a One Time Fling?
- 2 years. That’s the average length of time than an affair lasts.
- 3 out of 4 men say that they would have an affair if they wouldn’t get caught. 3 out of 5 women say the same thing.
- 1 in 4 divorce proceedings start because of the presence of an extramarital relationship. 20% of those cases of infidelity have the world “Facebook” somewhere in the filing paperwork.
- More than half of men and 1 in 3 women who have had a Facebook affair said that they were still happy within their marriage.
- Certain relationships are more prone to a Facebook affair: couples who have dated since high school and those that are structured where one spouse is dependent on the other to have needs met see the highest levels of cheating.
- Even though it is a law that is hardly ever enforced, having a Facebook affair is actually illegal in 3 states with their adultery statutes: South Carolina, Minnesota, and Michigan.
Facebook makes it easy for infidelity to happen. It often happens without any initial intent on the part of at least one of the participants. With the ability to chat and comment regularly and have messages deleted instantly, it seems like an easy way to cover up any evidence that cheating is going on. This is especially true for those who aren’t friends with their spouse on Facebook or their partner doesn’t even have an account. One study by Binghamton University says that infidelity might be caused by a genetic variation. If your partner loves to gamble, drink, and enjoys horror films, then they may just be considered a Facebook affair as well.
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