Digital infidelity: Rise of virtual cheating

Digital infidelity: Rise of virtual cheating (Photo: iStock)

Up until the last two decades of the 20th Century, infidelity relied more on traditional, face-to-face methods of secrecy and deception. Long hours and proximity at work gave rise to extramarital relationships. Business trips or long-distance travel provided the perfect cover for cheating. A chance meeting with a stranger at a nightclub could lead to a juicy conversation and, ultimately, intimate moments.

Cheating was a tedious affair that was not only logistically challenging but also carried inherent risks because it required physical presence and tangible communication through letters or public phone calls.