Facebook fuelling divorce

It emerged that a number of bored middle-aged users in their 40s and 50s have had their lives thrown into turmoil as they try to reconnect with childhood sweethearts through the sites.

Australian Family Relationships Clearing House manager Elly Robinson said online behaviour was causing friction in households.

"People will come in (for counselling) where one partner may deny their online behaviour has been any sort of problem, but the issue is ... if it's upsetting one of those people in the relationship, it's a problem," News.com.au quoted her as saying.

Robinson said the lack of research on the effect of online behaviour on relationships was surprising, considering the widespread use of social networking.

"Relationships develop more quickly online because inhibitions are lowered, it's easy to exchange information, people are online 24/7, there's an (endless) amount of people you can link up with who are there for the same reason, real life pressures fade away ... it's a bit of a fantasy world," she said.

Relationships Australia vice-president Anne Hollonds said while the Internet had made it easier to reconnect with lost loves, people ultimately had to take responsibility for their actions.

"The internet doesn't make people have affairs. It's become the pathway of choice for many people but I don't think that means the Internet is breaking up families," Hollonds said.

"Everyone has some degree of fantasy about a love that might have been from the past and the technology now helps you find these people.

"But there's no evidence to suggest that had the technology not been available, you wouldn't have had an affair with someone else anyway," she added.

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