Could the Internet communication websites (Chatting, Facebook, Twitter…etc) lead to family destruction or marriage break?

As we embraced the 21st century, online communication has dominated any other type of communicating methods around the world. It has become an addictive as many people spends hours of their time on the internet. Although Internet communication websites are very effective tools of social networking, they have many negative effects on society and can lead to family destruction and marriage break. The internet has increased the number of opportunities to have outside of marriage affairs available to men and women. There are many statistics from different countries such as the UK and the United States, where the word Facebook has been mentioned in many of the divorce cases.
Utilizing Internet communication website is a great idea to connect with other people, but it could also be a nightmare for many families. Your friends can post something inappropriate or embarrassing about you. Sometimes you can disable the function where people can’t post something about you, but not everyone does that. Many relationships develop when person is going to spend a lot of time with another person online. It usually starts by building an innocent communicating, and then you will start feeling more connected with that person. This may eventually develop into an intimate relationship.
In different cultures such as the Arabic culture, it is absolutely not acceptable for a wife to talk to a man who is not related to her. The same thing is also applied to a husband talking to a woman who is not a relative. If a husband finds out that his wife is cheating on him online, he can use this incident as reason to divorce his wife. Also, if a wife finds out that her husband is cheating on her online, she can ask the court for separation. Problems in relationship between a husband and a wife can have negative effects on their kids and can ultimately lead to the destruction of the family.
In the Facebook or Twitter, you have the ability to connect with old friends from high school, college, neighbors, and work places. You may start an innocent conversation with hi and hello. By spending more time chatting, you may end up liking each other. You can also simply arrange for date or place where you can meet up. Social networking websites made it easier than ever to find old friends and make new. I think the time you spend on chatting with others bothers most spouse than exactly what you are saying to the other party. We are by nature jealous of time, things, people and the time that you could be spending with your spouse is spent socializing with most people you never see. If your wife finds out that you are talking to another woman, she can basically ask for divorce. She has a valid reason to end their marriage. Internet could be an alternative and easy way to look for some attention outside marriage. Some website such as the Facebook, asks you to put you update your relationship status. If someone sees that you put single when you are married or engaged, this could be a potential problem. You may think that your wife or husband does not have an access to that information. However, there are other people on your Facebook page who have access to that information and have no problem giving your information to your wife. You wife may assume that by putting your status single, you are trying to get into a relationship with another woman. This can lead to a complicated relationship with you wife whether your changed your relationship status on purpose or it was an honest mistake.
Internet communication websites have helped in creating new friendships and re-connecting with people from the past. How many of hundreds of friends online are truly your friends or you really knowing them well. These supposedly friends have access to a lot of your personal information such as photographs and updates of what’s going on your daily life. They can check your online profile and get notifications if you update or post something new on your profile. If you mistakenly or on purpose post something negative, those friends, who you barely know, can show your wife or your husband your posts. This can jeopardize your relationship with your wife and family.
Some people can argue that internet communicating websites should be blamed for cheating and divorce. If the person wants to cheat on their spouse, they will cheat regardless. But in the Arab cultures, online chatting has made it easier for someone to cheat. You no longer need to find someone’s phone number or try calling them at the right time. You no longer have to go to the streets to harass someone to get to know them. You can conveniently chat with them from your computer at home, smartphone, or ipad without anyone noticing your actions. Online communication websites have made it easy for divorce lawyers to gather information about their clients. They can use for example Facebook information as evidence for cheating. If you can’t handle social networking websites, simply close your accounts. Cheating and sharing personal photos can end up firing back. When judges or lawyers see your photos, love emails, and chatting history with another person, you will be in a weak position to defend yourself. These online evidences are consider very strong and can lead to a fragile relationship between a husband and a wife. Some people think the contacting someone on the Facebook or Twitter is a replacement of communication in the real world. Spending hours on front of a computer, an Ipad, or a smartphone is not a replacement of face-to-face interactions. Some people are currently using the facebook as the primary way of socializing, but it is not the same as chatting with someone in the same room. There are no real benefits for checking other people random and unnecessary updates. Husband and wife should spend time with their kids instead of hours on facebook. They should routinely have an honest and open communications between spouses regarding internet communications. In an age when Internet devices are always on, meeting face-to-face is becoming increasingly rare as people choose to meet screen-to-screen. Internet communication websites are not a replacement for face-to-face relationship. Family activity time has given way to countless hours of internet surfing, and as a result families do not enjoy the special bond that comes from intimate interaction with those who are closest to us. Parents should teach their kids face-to-face communications by having their kids interact with other people such other family members or friends. Parents should have open communication with their kids about the benefits and dangers of social networking websites and the importance of setting limits on the amount of time spent on social networking websites. Kids spending too much time on social networking is unhealthy and can lead to none productive society. In addition, spending too much time online can lead to inactivity and obesity. Obesity is a serious problem in our society and will not help in building a strong family bond. Even though Internet communication websites are one of the greatest technology, but people are using it for the wrong reasons such as sharing useless photos or videos. Spouses can waste hours on the websites looking at useless and none productive photos and videos. This valuable time can be spent with each other or with their kids. When a person spends less time with their family, they will miss out great opportunities with their kids. These kids will grow up fast without the supervision of their parents and can lead to negative consequences. According to a recent survey in the UK, Facebook plays a role in one out of 5 divorces and this is very significant. Facebook provides some privacy for reaching out to other opposite gender. People know this is wrong, but they still do it anyway as long as no one in the family finds out about. It is hard to get attention from person you like in your own community, but Facebook , online chatting, and twitter have made it simple for many people. These secrets relationships on the Internet communication websites can lead to ignoring your own family. Even if Facebook does not end marriage, it will weaken relationship between a husband and a wife.
There is also the huge issue of security when using social networking. If you post something on your Facebook wall or tweet updates, that could be very sensitive information. It also can be dangerous to make plans with your friends on the Facebook. For example, if you post about your upcoming trip or where you going to spend your holiday, there might be a person following you. You can put yourself and your family in danger if someone knows that you are not going to be home on a specific day. A criminal or a thief can utilize your information to their advantage. They can break into your house, steal your valuable items, and may harm your family. This can lead to the destruction of the family.
Some people are more comfortable to have an affair with another person online as for the example the Facebook provides safe, innocent, and private environment. According to Divorce Online, a legal services firm, a survey was conducted in the U.K. stated that “More than a third of divorce fillings last year contained the word Facebook”. This survey showed the magnitude of the problem that society is facing on daily bases. This report also showed how danger and threat of social networking on the value of marriage and this issue show by addressed by the mosques, media, and education institutes. The statistics in the report showed us how serious the problem on marriages break ups.
Children safety and healthy growth are in danger in the era of online communication. As it is commonly said that 80% of communication is body language. We need the physical communication or kids will grow with odd social skills. Also, a lot of kids have access to internet anytime. They might be talking to another girl or guy on front of their parents. They parents might be computer illiterate or too busy to monitor their kids. When kids spend a lot of their time on the internet that means they will spend less in the mosque or playing healthy sports. This is very dangerous for the kids and their normal growth.
When you change your relationship status from married to single, it could be very difficult as it visible for everyone to see. This can be painful and emotional for a person to do. People such as your employer can judge you based on your Facebook book activities. People can tag you into their photos even if you don’t want to. What if you employee finds out some negative stuff about you online. You may loss you job and this can result in financial difficulties on your family.
In summary, even though Internet communication websites such as Chatting, Facebook, and Twitter are great for keeping connecting with others, these website are not marriage-friendly as they have contributed to an increased number of divorces. Some may argue that although social networking can make it easier for help to cheat, people should not blame the Facebook or Twitter. They should blame themselves and take responsibility for their own actions. As many parents spend more time on Internet commutations website, this problem translates to less time to spend with their kids. In addition, social networking has made easier for spouses to cheat on each other and this can lead to family destruction and marriage break. Finally, social networking and marriage do not have to be a recipe for disaster. Couples can keep their marriage intact and use social networking websites, but for the right reasons. They can have fun; connect with people and share pictures with family and friends. In my opinion, a healthy marriage cannot easily be destroyed by social networking.