How Can Social Media Affect My Divorce?

 Posted on September 23, 2021 in Divorce

Most Americans in the 21st century spend a significant amount of their daily lives online. If you are used to regularly posting photos or sharing updates about your life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or other platforms, it may make sense to also discuss changes in your life, such as divorce. However, doing so can have a number of unexpected consequences. Before sharing information on social media, you will want to understand how this could potentially affect your divorce, and you may also want to take steps to protect your personal information and your privacy.

Social Media Posts That May Play a Role in Divorce Proceedings

It is important to understand that anything that is shared on social media may be public information that could be raised in divorce court. Even private messages or posts that are restricted to people you trust could eventually make their way to your spouse, so you will want to be careful about what you share. Some activities that you may want to avoid include:

• Complaining about your ex - Social media may seem like the perfect forum to vent about the anger, sadness, or other emotions you are feeling during your divorce. However, making inflammatory comments about your spouse could undermine your attempts to negotiate a settlement or reach agreements in divorce-related disputes. While your divorce is ongoing, it is often best to avoid blaming your ex for your divorce, complaining that they are being unreasonable, or stating that you are being treated unfairly during the divorce process.

• Sharing financial information - Since financial issues will be a major concern during your divorce, you will want to avoid making posts that could indicate that you have been untruthful about your income or assets. Even something that may seem harmless, such as a picture in which you are wearing new shoes or a recently-purchased watch, could be used to claim that you have unreported assets or income that should be put toward child support or spousal maintenance. If you make posts that indicate that you have made major expenditures, such as photos of a recent vacation, you may be accused of dissipating marital assets, and this may affect the decisions made during the division of marital property.

• Posts that may call your parental fitness into question - If you are involved in a dispute over the custody of your children, your spouse and their attorney may look for any information that could be used to show that you are unable to provide the care your children need. For example, pictures of you drinking alcohol or using drugs at a party could be used against you, even if they were posted by someone else.

In many cases, it is best to avoid using social media during your divorce or sharing any details of your life while your case is ongoing. If you had shared any computers or devices with your spouse, it may be a good idea to change the passwords on your social media accounts to make sure your ex cannot access your personal information or make posts in your name.

Contact Our Joliet Divorce Lawyers

At the Law Offices of Tedone & Morton, P.C., we can advise you on the best approach to take during your divorce, and we can help you address any issues related to social media, including information that your spouse is attempting to use against you or inflammatory comments or accusations your ex has posted online. To get skilled and experienced legal help, contact our Plainfield divorce attorneys at 815-666-1285 and schedule a free consultation today.

Sources:

https://socialmediaexplorer.com/conversation-report/how-to-behave-on-social-media-during-a-divorce/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jefflanders/2013/08/20/how-social-media-can-affect-your-divorce/?sh=50642d4735a3