Post-Separation Parenting Apps: Potential benefits and risks in the context of family violence

Parental separation and the subsequent management of shared parental responsibilities are well-documented flashpoints for conflict and family violence. A growing number of post-separation parenting applications (‘apps’) purport to help parents by improving communication and reducing conflict and stress. These apps generally comprise a messaging tool, shared calendar, expense tracker and the ability to export records. This article examines the evidence for the use of post-separation parenting apps in the context of family violence. Specifically, we review two related but disparate bodies of literature and observe that (a) research that spans post-separation digital communication, coparenting, and family violence is fragmented; (b) there is little empirical work on post-separation technology-facilitated abuse in the context of coparenting; (c) there are a range of risks that separated parents (especially women) are likely to be exposed to when using post-separation parenting apps; and (d) these risks — as well as potential benefits — need to be better understood by family law professionals and separated parents alike.