The ruling was issued in the divorce case of S.B. and H.B. in Kayseri city, central Turkey. Previously, both had filed for divorce, blaming each other. The wife accused her husband of violating marital fidelity by frequently interacting with other women's posts, demanding 500,000 lira (approximately 375 million VND) in compensation.
While the trial and appellate courts debated the degree of fault, the Supreme Court recently delivered its final verdict: the husband was "more at fault."
The judicial panel stated that continuously liking photos, especially provocative ones of other women, proved the husband "undermined marital trust." Consequently, in addition to granting the divorce, the court ordered the husband to pay his wife 1,000 lira per month in alimony and 60,000 lira (approximately 45 million VND) for emotional and material damages.
This ruling immediately garnered significant attention in Turkey, a country that employs a "fault-based" divorce system. Under this system, social media interactions, once considered harmless, have now officially become legal evidence for property division and determining compensation liability.
In reality, cracks in relationships caused by a "like" button are not uncommon. Psychologist Melanie Schilling (Australia) refers to this as "micro-cheating." She defines it as a series of small actions indicating that a person is directing emotional or physical focus toward someone outside their primary relationship, rather than their partner.
"The primary cause of relationship breakdown is the behavior of the individuals involved, and social media often makes this public," Schilling stated. Psychological experts suggest that while laws in many countries do not prohibit "liking," within family culture, it raises issues of basic respect.
In Vietnam, the Law on Marriage and Family does not specifically define social media interaction as adultery, unless it can be proven to lead to an illicit relationship with serious consequences. However, many recent divorce cases have also stemmed from underlying conflicts in the virtual space.
Bao Nhien (According to Hurriyet Daily News, News.com.au)
