Law firm Russell Jones & Walker’s head of family law, Amanda McAlister, warns that the latest social media platform will make life easy for a cheating spouse through cyber affairs although Facebook will continue to do the opposite.
It might be hailed as the perfect social networking site, helping individuals segment their personal and their professional life, but a top UK divorce expert – Amanda McAlister of Russell Jones & Walker – predicts that many will use Google+ to shield their adultery from their spouse.
The site’s innovative ‘circles’ structures allows users to categorise their relationships with others registered to Google+ and share appropriate content with each category exclusively i.e. family photos with relatives, a portfolio with business contacts. With almost all divorces in her caseload citing social networking as having a part to play in the split, Amanda believes that many Google+ users will find it far less complicated to lead a secret double life.
“I already see Facebook cited in nearly every divorce petition or set of case notes I handle,” she said. “Even when divorce proceedings are issued, Facebook continues to be involved.
“Cheating individuals often deliberately ‘defriend’ their spouse and local friends on Facebook to help conduct secret affairs. Worst still, they might even set up a secret profile, something Cheryl Cole forbade Ashley from doing earlier this week. The structure of Google+ means users wanting to keep their secrets secret won’t have to disconnect from their friends – something which, in itself, looks suspicious.”
“Thanks to Google+, those that are being cheated on will probably remain in the dark for much longer than before, on average. However, on a more positive note, ‘circles’ might help to protect those affected by an affair to avoid further upset after a split," Amanda advises.
“In many of the cases I handle, both men and women suffer extreme distress when photos and messages are exchanged between their estranged partner and a new lover in public view.”
Being protected from the further exploits of the ex might come at a price, though. In the stage between a separation and a legal decree absolute, Amanda’s legal team often utilise Facebook content to help build a successful case on behalf of their clients. Even where the couple are not friends but their privacy settings are low, the site is a useful resource for both the aggrieved spouse and for the divorce solicitor themselves. For example, spouses who plead poverty during financial proceedings can have a difficult time explaining how they managed to afford to go on a lavish holiday, as evidenced by their tagged photos. Amanda closes by saying:
“Our concern is that users of Google+ might prolong divorce proceedings – most of the time, Facebook offers up some fantastic evidence, provided the user isn’t that savvy. Although a good divorce lawyer will root out all the information they possibly can to make a great case, it might take a little longer if certain social networking content is kept privy to a smaller, personal group.”
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