INTERNET dating sites are being used as weapons in divorce cases
Ok people, if you are using those social networking sites that we all love and you are in a marriage, well, you better think twice what you post or for that matter what you list your “status” as. This sort of information now a days is being used as evidence and weapons in divorce cases; The Law Institute of Victoria has noticed that couples are increasingly using these social romance websites as evidence to prove things in a court of law such as the time-line of their relationships. Institue president-elect and family law specialist Caroline Counsel says that this point of data is now being used to help determine division of assets. “If proven that one person was not in the relationship and therefore not contributing financially, it could potentially reduce that party’s entitlement to those post-separation acquired assets,” she said.
INTERNET dating sites are being used as weapons in divorce cases. The Law Institute of Victoria says warring couples are increasingly using social romance websites as evidence to prove the time-line of a relationship.
Institute president-elect and family law specialist Caroline Counsel said this could affect the division of assets.
In some cases, people who argued they had been still in the relationship and entitled to assets were revealed to have been listed as single on a dating site.
“If proven that one person was not in the relationship and therefore not contributing financially, it could potentially reduce that party’s entitlement to those post-separation acquired assets,” she said.
There is research now that shows that these social networking sites such as Facebook are increasingly becoming more and more involved in divorce settlements and trials. The American Academy of Matrimonial lawyers has also picked up on this as well and as a matter of fact they not only site the reasons we had listed beofre but also say that there is evidence of cheating and flirty messages and fotos found in these sites and are now being used as evidence of unreasonable behaviour or irreconcilable differences.
Chris Dawson, director of relationship counsellors Humaneed, said concerns about cheating on social networking sites was an issue for about 50 per cent of couples.
“I deal with a lot of couples where infidelity is an issue. (These sites) do make it more accessible,” he said.
“It’s a common discovery method. It may just be an emotional affair, but a betrayal is a betrayal.”
Psychologist Winsome Thomas said the internet was another way to check on cheating, but was not to blame for it.
“You don’t have to have Facebook (to check on partners) – women have traditionally checked their husband’s Mastercard bills or phone bills,” she said.
So if you are married you just better watch out what you post on your Facebook or any other social networking site, because you never know what you say can possibly come back to haunt you.



