stormy - 12:07 pm on Dec 28, 2009 (gmt 0)

[added]I realised after posting that there was a link on top of the news, but it doesn't change what I wrote below[/added]

Did anyone try to track the source of the information? I did. It's bogus.

From the BBC I found that the number was quoted by the managing director of a law firm, which happens to have the word "online" in their trade name, which would no doubt eschew the figures.

Furthermore, they promote themselves in Facebook, another reason that would bias this "finding".

So far we have a law firm that promotes themselves in facebook and that call themselves "online" claiming that "almost one in five" of divorces mention Facebook. I say they are doing a lousy job with their social networking efforts!

Lastly, the BBC opens the article with "according to research". I've scoured the law firm's website, including their frequently updated blog, and there's no mention of any "research".

So, it turns out one dude from a law firm mentioned a spurious figure off-handedly, and it made the news internationally (I'm in Spain), and even to the front page of Webmaster World!

Someone please prove me wrong and find that piece of research, so we can at least take a look at the methodology and the statistics involved!