Navigating cell phones and social media in romantic relationships in this internet versed era.

From distractions to jealousy, the changing nature of romantic relationships as well as the role of internet and digital technology in people’s lives has been a huge change. Focusing on the patterns, experiences and attitudes related to the influence the internet and digital technology has in romantic relationships nowadays. Amid growing debates about the impact of?smartphones?and?social media?on romantic relationships, a Pew Research Center survey conducted in October 2019 finds that many people encounter some tech-related struggles with their significant others. These includes password changes, new apps that are privatized most of them probably need a thumb to log in or face ID, let’s not forget the introduction of online dating apps and the good old Direct Messaging commonly known as (DMs) on Instagram and other social media apps.

Roughly half of partnered adults those who are married, cohabiting, or in a committed relationship report that their partner is often or sometimes distracted by their cell phone during conversations. Additionally, they are at least occasionally bothered by the amount of time their partner spends on their mobile device. Younger partnered adults, especially those aged 30 to 49, are more likely to feel that their partner is distracted by their phone. Specifically, the 30- to 49-year-olds and 18- to 29-year-olds report this distraction during conversations. However, this issue affects older adults as well: most partnered people aged 50 and older experience the same problem at least sometimes.

The distraction caused by phones may lead some to check their partner’s device. Despite this, a significant majority of people, regardless of relationship status believe it is rarely or never acceptable to look through a partner’s cell phone without permission. Nevertheless, a good number of partnered adults admit to having done so, with women more likely than men to engage in this behaviour.

For many adults, social media plays a role in the way they navigate and share information about their romantic relationships. Roughly eight-in-ten social media users report that they at least sometimes see others posting about their relationships, including a good number who say this happens often, but few say that seeing these posts affects how they feel about their own love life. Social media has increasingly become a venue for discussing and investigating relationships. About half of social media users report having used these platforms to check up on past partners or to share and discuss aspects of their current or past relationships. Among adults under 30, the tendency to use social media for monitoring former partners or posting about their own love lives is even more pronounced.

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