One-Third of Adults Used Technology to Break Up

A survey shows more than one-third of people have broken off a relationship via Facebook, email, or text message. (Photo credit: Photographer's Choice/Getty Images)

Relationships nowadays play out publicly through social media, especially Facebook. Many relationships aren’t validated in the eyes of friends and family until they are “Facebook official” and a joint profile picture on the social network signifies that things are getting serious.

And while many partake in lovey-dovey wall posts and relationship statuses while the relationship is going strong, a new study shows that people are also using Facebook and other technology to end things when the love goes sour. And it’s not just teenagers.

A survey conducted by Lab42, a company that conducts consumer market research via social networks, shows that more than one-third of adults have broken up via Facebook, text messages or email. And 40 percent of the 550 people surveyed over the age of 18 said they would use technology to break up, if the situation were to arise.

More than half of people surveyed said they change their Facebook relationship status immediately after a break-up, even before telling friends or waiting until the other person changes theirs.

The survey also showed that technology is central to initiating relationships. Only 42 percent of the people polled said they would contact someone in person to ask them on a first date. The rest said they would use Facebook, phones, text, email or other methods to reach out.

And most people don’t wait until the first date anymore to learn about their new love interest–57 percent friend the other person on Facebook, 29 percent use social media networks to research them and 26 percent use Google to investigate before the first date.