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Love and Logins — Who Gets Custody of Passwords in a Breakup?

There was an interesting article in the Orlando Sentinel/Section 1/Sunday February 13, 2022, titled “Love and Logins — Who Gets Custody of Passwords in a Breakup?” by Ity Leanne Italie of the Associated Press. 

Sharing Passwords

In the article, the author states this era of cybersecurity concerns calls for multi-factor lockdown of all things digital. This approach points to a thorny issue when love goes wrong. What to do about the logins? She states that nearly 8 of 10 Americans who are in a relationship share passwords across nearly every digital platform, ranging from social media to email and cell phone to mobile wallets. 

Why Couples Share Passwords

Italie goes on to quote Harold Li, Vice President of the encryption service Expressvpn. In the digital era, Li says that sharing passwords is a sign of trust and affection akin to a gift of a letterman jacket or an exchange of locker combinations. While it may seem like a romantic gesture at the moment, Li states that it poses serious risk to your personal privacy, which even the closest of relationships need. And when the relationship ends, whether romantic or friendship variety, Li recommends a thorough digital divorce. 

Streaming Service Sharing

Hari Ravichandran, founder, and CEO of the digital safety provider Aura, noted the prevalence of password sharing among some. However, he warned against it. He states that password sharing is a way for consumers to get around the cost of paying multiple services.  He said what consumers are not considering is that these behaviors make them vulnerable to digital crime when people outside your household — even ones you trust — have your password on their devices. 

The author states that researchers have found a variety of reasons people maintain streaming ties after a breakup. He states that they do it for convenience, finances, and post-breakup friendships among them. A downside to this, according to Ravichandran, is when a vindictive ex deliberately wreaks havoc with algorithms to mess up ads and suggested viewing or creates a profile to rile up a current love interest. 

This is something to think about if you are planning on divorcing. You may want to discuss this with your spouse on how you plan to handle and manage these matters in your upcoming divorce. That way you can avoid many of the problems that the author points out in this article. 

If you have more questions regarding a Marital and Family Law matter, you may call Ann Marie Giordano Gilden at Ann Marie Giordano Gilden, P.A. at 407-732-7620 and set an initial consultation. 

This article is for informational purposes only and does not form an attorney client privilege.