Tampa family law attorneys discuss how social media is impacting marriages and divorces
Has social media affected your marriage? According to well-known divorce attorney, James Sexton, this is one of the main causes of divorce in today’s digital age. Sexton recently released a book this past year called, “If You’re in My Office, It’s Already Too Late”, diving deeper into this trend.<
In an interview with Vox, Sexton explained, “It’s a huge factor now, and it’s getting worse every day.” Sexton explains that with social media it has become way easier to conduct affairs in secret. He goes on to explain that in the majority of his cases that social media has always been a part or root cause for separation in some form. Facebook provides an avenue to communicate with toxic parties. The communication usually starts when the married man or woman is in a vulnerable state.<
Social media sites like Facebook, which Sexton explains is an “infidelity-generating machine”, helps give off the perception that the married party’s peers are out living a more fulfilled and meaningful life. The married party views their friends as having a more loving life, while noticing small inconsistencies within their own marriage in comparison. “We curate carefully what we put up there,” Sexton said of social media sites in his interview with Vox. “So, if I’m in a vulnerable, lonely, bored place looking at everyone else’s curated greatest hits, of course I’m going to think I’m doing worse than I’m doing. Of course I’m going to think my relationship isn’t as interesting as everyone else’s, or as happy as everyone else’s.”
So, what is Sexton’s greatest piece of advice for potential married couples? Take the vow of marriage seriously. He explains that marriages are equivalent to picking out a dream car. If you were to choose a dream car off the top of your head you would probably pick out an exotic car such as a Ferrari, but if you were to choose only one car to drive for the rest of your life, you would probably want something more reliable and sustainable.
If social media has been affecting your marriage and you and your spouse have reached the point where the marriage is beyond repair, you need the careful guidance of a trusted family law attorney. Contact the attorneys at Westchase Law for your consultation today.