Proof of Love or a Tool of Control? More Than Half of Slovaks Share Mobile Phone Passwords with Their Partners
More than 55.7% of people in Slovakia share their mobile phone access code or password with their partners. This is according to representative research conducted by the Institute for Sociology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS), which examined the role of digital technologies in intimate relationships.
Mobile phones are no longer just tools for communication. They have become gateways to highly personal and sensitive information. Although many people protect their devices with passwords or access codes, they often keep various applications unlocked.
The research, based on a representative quantitative survey of Slovakia’s online population and in-depth interviews, shows that couples primarily use digital technologies to communicate, maintain closeness, manage households, and care for children.
“An important finding is that most people perceive their partner’s use of digital technologies positively, most often as a sign of care (47.5%), help (49.6%), or protection (44.2%),” says researcher Viera Poláková from the Institute for Sociology, SAS. At the same time, some respondents reported negative experiences. “A smaller proportion stated that their partner uses digital technologies to hurt them (3.3%), threaten them (3.6%), or control them (6.8%),” she adds.
The extent to which partners share access to digital devices depends on several factors, including whether they live together. Significant differences also emerge across age groups. Young people aged 16-29 tend to share more information, including not only phone access codes or location data, but also intimate photos and videos.
“While 33% of the overall population consider it normal for partners to share intimate photos and videos, this rises to 59.5% among young people aged 16 to 24. At the same time, young people are more likely than older generations to report concerns about being monitored or controlled by their partner through digital technologies. They are also more likely to know someone who has experienced technology-facilitated abuse in a relationship,” explains Zuzana Sekeráková Búriková from the Institute for Sociology, SAS.
The dark side of digital intimacy: from sharing to coercion
Interviews with experts working with victims of intimate partner violence in Slovakia highlight the growing misuse of digital technologies. When psychological violence is present in a relationship, commonly available technologies are often used to reinforce it. This may include monitoring a partner’s location or communication, maintaining constant contact, or engaging in blackmail and threats.
“Violence in relationships can stem from information and access that partners initially share voluntarily. Passwords, or intimate photos and videos, can later be misused for blackmail or revenge. The most critical phase is when a person attempts to leave a violent relationship, as the abuser may try to regain control through digital means,” explains Veronika Valkovičová from the Faculty of Education at Comenius University.
Implications for prevention
The findings have important implications for preventing violence in intimate relationships. Interestingly, people’s own behaviour is not significantly influenced by whether they know someone who has experienced technology-related abuse. This type of violence is therefore not primarily linked to a lack of digital skills, but rather to the misuse of trust within relationships.
According to researchers, prevention should focus not only on improving digital literacy but also on strengthening relationship skills, such as communication, setting boundaries in the digital space, and respecting consent and its absence. Education efforts should particularly target young people and be integrated into school curricula.
A detailed analysis of the joint research conducted by the Institute for Sociology, SAS, and the Department of Ethics and Civic Education at the Faculty of Education of Comenius University is presented in the publication Digital Intimacy: From Trust to Control in the Everyday Life of Couples (Mamaš, 2025). This is the first book to comprehensively analyse the use of digital technologies in intimate relationships in Slovakia.
Prepared by: Jozef Bednár
Photo: canva.com