A shocking number of old flames were revealed to still be using the Facebook and Spotify accounts of their ex, with only 23% of account holders aware.
The Case of the Ex
New data from Reboot Digital PR Agency looked into how many exes are still peeking into their past partners’ social media accounts. Of the 4,518 singletons surveyed, almost a third (32%) were revealed to still be logging into ex’s social media accounts.
Which Accounts Are They Using?
The most common account to log back into is Instagram, with 70% of heartbroken respondents saying they have logged into their ex’s Instagram within the last week. A close second was Netflix – 61% have logged into their exes’ accounts to do some surreptitious watching. A shocking number of old flames are also still using their partners’ Facebook and Spotify accounts – with only 23% of account holders aware.
What Are People Getting Up To?
Most exes claim that they still log into past partners’ social media accounts to “see if they have met someone new”, with 59% of participants admitting this was the main reason. Other excuses included “curiosity/ just can’t help myself” (28%), “to see if they blocked me from seeing their content/photos” (14%) – however, more worryingly, 13% admitted to logging in to “seek revenge and post/talk to others as their ex”.
How Long After the Breakup?
Reboot Digital PR Agency discovered that most of us (32%) stop logging in 6 months post-breakup, with others stopping around the 10 to 12-month mark (18%). Shockingly, however, 17% of participants admitted to logging into their ex’s social accounts 2 years after a breakup!
The Psychological Effects of Spying on an Ex
With a staggering 81% of snooping exes admitting they felt sad after logging into their old partner’s accounts, it is clear that overstepping digital boundaries carries some serious psychological effects. What’s more, 65% confessed that it had become an “obsession” and 47% felt it was preventing them from moving on.
Ann Heathcote, a Psychotherapist from The Worsley Centre flags that “social media has made it easy to snoop on your ex and the temptation to look becomes too much for some.” The ease of accessing a social media account can prevent emotional distancing and negatively impact your mental health.
