Social media is a huge part of everyday life. These platforms are great for meeting new people, catching up with family and friends and doing business. However, if you have an active legal matter like divorce, it’s in your best interest that you are mindful of your online activity.
Even if the divorce is amicable, it’s important that you watch what you post online. The last thing you want is your ex using your “words” against you to tilt critical matters like child custody and property division in their favor.
The dangers of using social media during divorce
Your social media posts can reveal things about you that could potentially jeopardize your case. Even if you block your ex from seeing your posts, a family member or a mutual friend could still pry into your posts and pass this information over to them. Specifically, here is how your social media posts could impact your divorce case:
Your posts could paint a picture of your lifestyle – If you are posting yourself partying and drinking, your spouse might argue that you’re unfit for custody based on your lifestyle. It doesn’t get any better if you share photos of romantic partners online. Likewise, if you are frequently posting about expensive vacations and huge purchases, your spouse might suspect you of trying to dissipate marital property.
Venting online can also cause problems – While you are free to post anything online (as long as it is legal, of course), taking to social media to rant about your spouse can have serious implications. This can give the court the impression that you are likely to be a difficult co-parent, and this can greatly hurt your custody case.
Social media can be a great place to express yourself and keep up with family and friends. However, if you don’t want the court asking questions about your posts, then you may consider keeping off these platforms while your divorce is underway.