Social Media Dos and Don’ts to Keep in Mind Through a Divorce
It’s important to be careful about what you post on your social media accounts once you plan to file for divorce. Damaging information about you on your social media accounts can work against you through the divorce process. This article looks at the dos and don’ts of social media use to keep in mind during a divorce.
Social media services like Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok, have changed the way people share their lives with those around them. As useful as social media can be, however, it has its limits. Divorce attorneys have begun to notice that when clients going through divorce aren’t careful about what they put on their social media accounts, sometimes, the information they share works against them.
If you’re planning to file for divorce, it’s important to be aware of the following rule: Anything you share can be leveraged against you.
It isn’t only when you get arrested that you need to be wary of the Miranda warning. Ending a relationship in divorce court requires similar caution, as well. As your divorce attorney is likely to tell you, the opposing counsel is always likely to go through your social media accounts to see if there’s anything there that can be used to show you in poor light. It’s important to keep the following warnings in mind.
What to not do with social media through a divorce
Don’t remove posts that are already there: If you have embarrassing or otherwise unflattering content on your social media accounts, it may occur to you to go in and begin deleting it all. It’s important to understand, however, that the opposing attorney may still be able to access the deleted information in other ways. Information, once it gets on the Internet, is always going to be out there in one form or another.
Don’t share your location on social media: Location-sharing check-ins give away more information than necessary, information that may be used against you in any number of ways, depending on what the lawyer for the opposing party wishes to prove. Turning off all location-sharing options on your social media accounts is a good idea.
Things you should do with your social media
Be careful about what you put on social media: Whatever you may wish to post on social media, it’s important to think twice about how it is likely to reflect on your character, and the claims that you plan to make in court through the divorce process. Relying on your privacy settings for protection alone may not be a good idea. Your spouse may be able to view your posts through the account of a friend who has access.
Remember to ask your family to be careful, as well: It’s important to ask your children and other family members to be careful about what they share on social media, or even like. Everyone in your family needs to exercise sensible judgment about putting anything online that could reflect unfavorably on you.
Get off social media: Divorce attorneys often recommend that their clients take time away from social media. If you’re on social media during your divorce, it may be very hard to not share your frustrations with your friends, and inadvertently put something out there that you shouldn’t.
Social media can be a great way to stay in touch with everyone in your life, but divorce attorneys notice that careless mistakes hurt their clients’ chances. Keeping these ideas in mind, and seeking the guidance of an experienced divorce lawyer should help you make sure that you’re able to navigate divorce with as little disruption as possible.