The Impact of Social Media on Marriages

Social media has taken over the world as we know it. Whether you are sharing pictures from your trip to the Bahamas or sharing a life update about a milestone achievement, social media has greatly impacted how we communicate, interact, and carry out our lives. Social media encompasses all ages and has different offerings that everyone in the family can enjoy. However, social media usage can have grave consequences on the marriages of individuals. Let’s explore what some of these impacts on marriages are.

Increased Screen Time and Less Quality Time

It is estimated that Americans spend approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes on their phone each day, much of which is spent on social media. Social media can be difficult to escape, considering it is one of the most common forms of communication these days. However, with increased screen time and social media comes a decrease in quality time spent with others. This can greatly affect a couple’s marriage as the less quality time they have together, the less likely they are to be involved and invested in the relationship.

Location Tracking

Nowadays, several social media platforms, such as Life360, allow individuals to track one another’s location in live time. This can cause an array of problems amongst married couples. Perhaps, your spouse said they were going to a specific place, but their location tells otherwise. Or, maybe your partner even turned off their location temporarily, leaving the other to have suspicious thoughts about their whereabouts. While location tracking can be useful in some cases, it can also result in unhealthy habits of consistently checking your spouse’s location.

Opportunities for Infidelity

Unfortunately, social media has created bountiful opportunities for infidelity, with numerous dating apps available for download.

Unfaithful behaviors are as simple as a click of a button. While hopefully, married couples are not on these dating apps, unfortunately, many are.

Connections With Those of the Past

Social media makes reconnecting with people from the past very easy and convenient. It is not uncommon for an individual to follow someone on social media that they haven’t talked to for ten years to stay “connected.” However, rekindling relationships from the past or staying in contact with, perhaps, a past lover can create great suspicion.

Increased Jealousy

As we all know, social media is not always what it’s made out to be. People love to post the glitz and glam of their lives instead of the harsh reality. When someone in a marriage sees other couples posting about their picture-perfect relationships online, it can cause one to doubt their marriage and its stability.

This may inflict a great amount of insecurity and uncertainty about their present relationship, convincing them that maybe they should be expecting or receiving more.

Be Careful

While it is not discouraged from using social media, it is just important to be mindful of the potentially harmful effects that it can have on a marriage. For many, unfortunately, social media can lead to the demise of a relationship. Often, married couples file for a divorce with a Florida family law attorney over a problem that arose from social media. Therefore, be safe on social media and think twice about how it may affect your marriage.