No matter what generation you belong to, everyone in the current era has a strong connection to their smartphones, usually due to fun social media apps. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and so on capture our attention and keep us connected to friends and strangers alike. The booming pervasiveness and popularity of social media in the last few years has caused it to reach into every aspect of our lives, and divorces are certainly not an exception.
Serious legal disputes regarding divorce have been settled based solely on the presence, or lack thereof, of social media posts. The clever family law attorney knows the internet is a great place to find evidence of a disloyal spouse, of an ex who had been hiding expenses or finances, of unsettling mood swings, and so on. If you are entering a divorce, simply put, you need to be highly-conscious of what you are putting on social media, or else it could come back to haunt you by taking away your parental rights or marital assets.
Consider this helpful list of dos and don'ts of mixing social media with divorce:
- DO refrain from posting anything you think could be misconstrued to harm your case. Ideally, you would use no social media apps for as long as your divorce was ongoing.
- DO pay attention when you are tagged in posts. If you are worried about being in a picture or tagged at a particular place, remove yourself or talk to the poster about removing it.
- DO talk to a close, trusted friend about what your ex-spouse is posting on their social media. If they have seen something that defames you, or could be evidence of their own wrongdoing, you and your lawyer should know.
- DON'T post about expensive vacations, large purchases, or new expenditures. Divorce courts usually prefer frugality in both parties since child support or alimony may be on the table.
- DON'T make posts referring to new romantic interests. You have the right to be with another person after your marriage is coming to a close, but your ex might be able to twist to posts to their advantage and argue that you had been cheating on them before the divorce, even if you hadn't even known the new paramour yet.
- DON'T show images or videos of wild parties or heavy drinking. Evenings out with friends could be the relaxation you need to get your mind off your divorce troubles, but it could also lead to social media posts that make you seem irresponsible. This is not beneficial if you want child custody.
- DON'T go on the aggressive. If you want to rant about how much you hate your ex-spouse, get an old-fashioned journal that uses pen and paper, write it all down, and keep it to yourself. Social media posts, even on private accounts, are technically in the public's domain, so you can't try to hide anything that goes up on your Facebook wall.
For more legal counsel regarding divorce, come to Springer Law Firm PLLC. Our Katy family law attorneys are top-rated for their dedication to our clients and professional knowledge. Contact us today and see what 65+ years of collective legal experience can do for your divorce case.