Digital dumping on the rise

Breaking up online is on the rise, according to a survey, with growing numbers of people preferring to use email and social networking web sites to break up with their partners.

Over one third of 2,000 people polled (34 per cent) said they had ended a relationship by email, 13 per cent had changed their status on Facebook without telling their partners and six per cent had released the news unilaterally on Twitter.

By contrast, only two per cent had broken up via a mobile phone text.

The rest had split up the old-fashioned way by face-to-face conversation (38 per cent) and by telephone (eight per cent).

"Digital Dumping will soon take over when it comes to ending a relationship," said Sean Wood, Marketing Manager for DateTheUk dating service for whom the survey was carried out.

"It's often easier, quicker and avoids any misunderstandings."