Social networking can lead to divorce

The next time you feel like getting naughty on a social networking site, think again. Writing or uploading not-so-innocent posts and pictures could put an end to your marriage. These seemingly harmless tasks are increasingly being used as material in divorce and custody proceedings in India. So should you stay off these sites if your relationship is on the edge? It's advisable, caution lawyers. Ace lawyer Satish Maneshinde declares that posting certain information and pictures online can be "dangerous". He informs, "In India, electronic evidence is admissible in a court of law. While a social networking site may not disclose the evidence of a relationship, what is uploaded shows inclination of one person with another and can be produced in court. I have seen a rise of at least 200 per cent in cases like these in the last year alone. Electronic material is also considered a 'document' under the Indian Evidence Act." Says lawyer Mrunalini Deshmukh, "Things uploaded on a site are not the only source of evidence, but they can be used as corroborative evidence. A lot of spying of accounts happens so you have to be very careful of what you upload, especially if you are in a questionable relationship," she advises. While it seems easy to have an affair or flirt with the opposite sex on a social networking site, it can wreak havoc in one's marriage. "I've had so many cases in the recent past where a a husband or wife have saved a certain picture or post even though it was deleted later on, so it can be damning evidence to be used in court. Many times people have contacted their exes or classmates and started a flirtation that has led to something else," she says. The advice? "Make sure you have your ethics in place. Do not use the net as a tool for distraction in your personal life and avoid getting too personal online."