Are you someone who believes that a little online flirting is healthy? According to a 2021 report, 75% of men and 68% of women have cheated at least once on their partner while being in a monogamous relationship. In fact, among the 441 participants surveyed, a noteworthy 24% reported maintaining their relationship despite experiencing infidelity. In contrast, a substantial 47.5% acknowledged that online cheating prompted them to institute new relationship boundaries, such as the sharing of passwords.

“Cheating”, according to the relationship terminology, violates the agreed-upon terms of a romantic partnership emotionally and physically. While infidelity in the past was only limited to being physically intimate with another person or giving excuses for coming late home, today’s digital platforms have made it possible to be sexually intimate with someone without meeting them. Simply put, talking to a third person, flirting with them, and sharing private details behind your partner’s back is cheating. Continue reading to learn more about the role of online flirting in infidelity.

Online Cheating Signs

If you suspect your partner is cheating online, watch out for the following signs:

• Sudden behavioral changes.
• Spending hours on their computer, tablet, or phone.
• Getting defensive or lying if questioned.
• They are distancing themselves.
• They are changing passwords on shared devices and accounts.
• Keeping secrets.
• Not letting you see their phone or use their computer.
• Deleting search history.

Online Flirting Examples

Even though every person has a different explanation for what’s flirting, the definition is, in fact, black and white. To make it easier for you to understand and identify a case of infidelity, we have compiled some examples of online flirting:

• Sending people flirty emojis such as winks, kisses, and hearts.
• Asking the person to meet you behind your partner’s back.
• Conducting or participating in online activities that you must hide from your partner.
• Continuously messaging the other person in a flirtatious way.
• Liking or leaving comments on the person’s pictures.

Note that these are just a few examples of scenarios in which online flirting counts as infidelity. However, all of these have one thing in common; they are deliberate actions of telling a third-person that you like them even if you don’t say it aloud.

Why Is Online Flirting Regarded as Infidelity?

Online flirting is considered cheating in many cases because it involves engaging in romantic or intimate interactions with someone outside of one’s committed relationship. While the absence of physical contact may be a defining characteristic of online flirting, it can still lead to emotional infidelity and breach the trust and boundaries established within the primary relationship.

When one partner discovers that the other is engaging in online flirting, it can lead to feelings of betrayal, hurt, and insecurity, similar to the emotions experienced in cases of physical infidelity. This can cause significant strain on the relationship, leading to a breakup. Even if your relationship survives the “mistake,” it will take forever for the cheating partner to regain trust.

Ending Note – If You Are in a Relationship, Don’t Flirt!

Indulging in any kind of activity digitally that you might have to hide from your partner counts as infidelity. No matter how casual or a no-strings-attached-arrangement it is for you, every kind of emotional affair is considered cheating.

Setting boundaries and open communication are the best ways to maintain a healthy relationship without suffocating your partner. However, if you still have doubts or suspect your partner is unintentionally hurting you, talk to them or schedule an appointment with a couple’s therapist.