The rise in the use of social media has certainly had many positive impacts on the world, keeping people in touch, and helping them trace loved ones from long ago. However, this open forum for the world has also lead to many problems within marriages, and a recent study has shown that Facebook, the largest social networking site in the world, is cited in a third of all divorce cases. Many of these cases involve a spouse chatting to an old flame, perhaps someone from school or a first partner, but it can also provide a place for unhappily married people to meet others in the same situation. So, what do you do if you suspect a spouse is using Facebook to cheat?

Getting evidence

Firstly, it's important not to snoop yourself, as you could be caught out and cause further problems in your marriage. A potential cheater might also get spooked, and delete any evidence from Facebook if they think you're onto them. However, you'll no doubt form your own suspicions from the way they act when it comes to their social media accounts. Are they glued to their phone? Have they suddenly changed their laptop password or phone passcode? Do they quickly close chat windows when you enter the room? These are all signs that they don't want you to see what's going on.

Getting help

Once you have suspicions, the best thing to do is look for a private investigator who has dealt with matrimonial and infidelity cases, as they will be able to advise what to do next. A private detective will have many different tools and skills they can use to help with your case. If it's purely an online thing, they may use computer forensics to gain evidence of affairs. However, if there are suspicions that it has moved on to real life, you might want to consider using a private investigator to follow your spouse and verify where they are, with evidence such as photographs taken with a long range lens to back up your case.

Gathering evidence

Although it can be devastating to find out your spouse has been using social media to cheat, it can help put your mind at rest, and may be the first step towards getting a divorce. By using a private investigator, you can get the evidence you need to support a divorce case, or simply to confront your partner with; the choice is yours.