Do you trust your significant other with your passwords? Is there anything on your social media accounts you would rather they didn’t see? 38% of respondents in a new, interesting study say they don’t feel comfortable about a current partner having access to personal accounts like Facebook and Instagram.
The research was conducted by mobile phone insurance provider Better Buy Insurance, and analysed the habits, preferences and fears of Brits in relationships, as well as those who have recently broken up. The figures tell us that the majority don’t trust an ex-partner not to access their social media accounts as 65% of those surveyed said they change their passwords after breaking up.
Becky from Manchester says he wishes she’d changed her password following a recent break-up with a boyfriend.
“My ex knew my passwords to everything and when we broke up he was logging onto my Facebook and Instagram, and unfriending and unfollowing pretty much every boy I had on there,” said Becky.
“I only found out because my friends asked me why I had unfriended them, when I knew I hadn’t.
“I had a hunch it was him, so I confronted him, and he said he did it because he didn’t want me speaking to them.
“He was on my Instagram and Facebook accounts, snooping and reading all my messages, and deleting everyone for about a month before I realised.”
What’s interesting is that the data tells us that we actually become less interested in our partners’ passwords as relationships develop. 36% of those who have been in a relationship for a less than a month think it’s important to share passwords, compared to just 9% of people who have been in a relationship for more than ten years.
Responding to the results, relationships coach Ben Edwards said: “My advice is that if you feel comfortable sharing passwords with your partner, or leaving accounts logged in on shared devices, then go ahead!
“However, sharing passwords isn’t a necessity. Trust is a fundamental part of any partnership and your relationship should incorporate a degree of honesty and intimacy that ultimately makes password sharing unnecessary.
“If you feel the need to share passwords with a partner, perhaps you should consider why you think it’s essential; it may reflect a deeper issue.
“If, for this reason or any other, you feel uncomfortable sharing passwords, I recommend you be upfront and honest about the reasons why.
“Good communication is key in a relationship and you may just find that this strengthens your bond more than sharing passwords would.”
