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These three elements are a part of the information age. Fidelity is the ideal loyal partnership while infidelity is the bugbear that rears its ugly head at one point or another.

Infidelity obviously causes an enormous amount of pain and suffering for those who experience it. Technology is the magic password to get your own back on a cheating partner, male or female.

Fidelity

Many partnerships enjoy true commitment, which means there is no cheating. These partnerships are based on trust and third-party liaisons do not form part of the equation.

These are generally regarded as the ideal type of relationship, but few couples manage to get this right. If they do, they are usually based on solid moral or faith-based foundations. This situation applies to approximately 80% of the population, so there is hope.

Fidelity, loyalty, and trust can, however, be interpreted differently by the sexes. For some, no cheating equates to zero flirting online or sneaking around for clandestine meetings with members of the opposite sex.

For others, a bit of light-hearted banter or flirtation at the office or online is just a moment in the day that lightens up their life for a moment. Let's face, who doesn't enjoy a bit of an ego boost from time-to-time?

Women, however, regard men flirting online as a breach of trust. Men may agree, but others will be more liberal with this definition of fidelity. Men in this category will see online surfing, chatting up an old flame, or flirting on Facebook or elsewhere, as their right.

They simply don't believe this is a breach of trust and laugh off any suggestion to the contrary. These habits tend to expand into something more ominous, like arranging the face to face meeting.

Infidelity

Online chatting can occur on so many different media platforms these days that it is hard to keep track of them all. Cheating, affairs, liaisons or whatever you want to call them translates into a breach of trust in a monogamous relationship. We all carry mobile devices and we have all downloaded the apps that help us to communicate at a moment's notice.

Beginning an affair this way, with a stranger or someone that you know, is generally how it starts. That exciting transient little tingle of excitement runs through you and for a while, you feel attractive, wanted and needed.

Chatting increases and the one party makes the next move and suggests a personal meeting. Then the affair that you have been "innocently" pursuing online, moves up a notch. The potential for someone getting hurt or paying damages also now bumps up to the next level.