Is Using Dating Apps While In A Relationship Cheating?
Although it’s pretty much universally acknowledged that being cheated on sucks, that doesn’t mean cheating is a black-and-white issue. Every couple has different boundaries for their own relationship – but when it comes to using dating apps while in a relationship, is that a hard no, or are the lines a little blurrier? A new survey of 3,500 college students by ABODO Apartments – an online apartment marketplace helping college students find their next off-campus rental – found that 69 percent of people felt using dating apps while in an exclusive relationship counts as cheating, no matter the context, while others had different ideas for when dating app use wasn’t okay.
“What constitutes cheating is different for every couple because each partner comes to the relationship with different beliefs and definitions of infidelity,” Samantha Burns, dating coach at Love Successfully, tells Bustle. “It’s essential to set clear boundaries at the beginning of a relationship by directly discussing the topic and making your expectations known. Emotional infidelity, watching porn, and swiping on dating apps without the intention to meet up may fall into a gray area for some couples, so unless you talk about it you may be operating under different assumptions.”