Digital Cheating: Is Chatting Enough to Wreck Your Marriage?

• The definition of 'cheating' has evolved in the digital age, with smartphones introducing a 'digital third party' into relationships.
• Innocent-seeming actions like late-night chatting or social media interactions can be 'micro-cheating', eroding marital foundations.
• Chatting becomes cheating when emotional intimacy is shared with a third party instead of your partner, or when communication is hidden.
• A 'digital third party' enters when partners feel neglected, leading them to seek emotional support through digital interactions.
• Digital infidelity can be more damaging than physical, as it creates an idealized comparison and severely damages trust.

Why It Matters: Digital interactions, even seemingly innocent chatting, can constitute 'micro-cheating' and severely damage marital trust.