Relationship status: Facebook cited as a factor in a third of all divorce cases

Facebook interactions are now being used as a source of evidence for growing number of divorce cases.

17:33 22 January 2015

Lake Legal, a Leeds-based law firm has confirmed that information shared on Facebook is being used as evidence for the growing number of divorces in the country. It added that the social networking site is cited in 66 out of 200 divorce cases they have examined.

Lyn Ayrton, the firm’s managing partner said: ‘Social media provides an ongoing log of our lives. The sharing of written posts and pictures, often with geo-tagging, provides a record of activities that can be used in a court case.’

It has emerged that some people use the site to track down or get back in touch with exes or acquire information that contradicts their claims about finances.

Aderton explains: ‘Often, if a partner refers to an impending bonus, a new job offer, or plans for a holiday, it may provide evidence that they are not telling the truth about their financial position. At the very least, it could call their credibility into question.’

She added: ‘Somebody said she was not in a relationship with anybody new but then posted a message inviting everybody to a housewarming party for her and her boyfriend.’