What You Need to Know About Using Social Media During Your Divorce

 Posted on February 10, 2022 in Divorce / Family Law

Social media is an important part of most people’s lives. It has been especially helpful for many during the COVID-19 pandemic since it has allowed people to remain connected with friends and family. However, sharing personal information and details about your life can have some unexpected consequences, especially if you are going through a divorce. You will want to understand how the information you share online may affect your case, and this will help you protect your rights and interests as you work to dissolve your marriage.

Social Media Tips for Divorcing Spouses

It is important to remember that anything you post online could potentially be seen by your spouse and their attorney. Even if you send private messages to others or share updates or photos in a private group, someone may forward this information to your spouse. To avoid potential issues, you will want to make sure you do not send or share any messages or photos that you would not want to have to explain in divorce court. You will especially want to avoid:

• Sharing information about your finances - You will need to address a variety of financial matters during your divorce, and you and your spouse may disagree about issues related to the division of marital property, spousal support, or child support. As you work to resolve these disputes, you will want to make sure you do not post anything that may indicate that you are not being truthful about your financial situation. For example, a comment on social media about making an expensive purchase or working overtime at your job could be used by your spouse to claim that you have failed to report certain assets or income.

• Posts that could call your parenting abilities into question - As you address issues related to the custody of your children, you will want to demonstrate that you will be able to provide for your children’s needs and fulfill your parenting duties. To avoid any claims that you are not fit to care for your children, you will want to avoid sharing certain types of messages or photos. Discussions of alcohol or drug use or other dangerous activities could potentially be used against you, and even offhand comments about your mental state could be seen as an indication that you are emotionally unstable.

• Discussing your divorce or complaining about your spouse - Even though you may want to vent about the frustrations and difficulties you are experiencing during the divorce process, doing so may lead to increased conflict that will make it more difficult to reach agreements with your spouse. To avoid issues that could extend the divorce process and lead to additional complications, it is best to refrain from posting about your case.

Contact Our Geneva Divorce Attorney

To ensure that you are avoiding any issues that could make your divorce more difficult, you may want to avoid using social media at all while your case is ongoing. At Loire Krajniak Law, LLC, we can advise you on the steps you can take to get through your divorce as quickly and easily as possible, and we will work to protect your rights and help you resolve any disputes you may encounter. To get legal help and representation, contact our Kane County divorce lawyer at 630-448-2406 and schedule a free consultation.

Sources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/better-divorce/202111/marriage-divorce-and-social-media-recipe-disaster

https://www.austinmonthly.com/going-through-a-divorce-get-off-social-media/

https://www.womansdivorce.com/facebook-and-divorce.html