Social media offers a small glimpse into our everyday lives and allows us to share our lives with our families and friends, but during your divorce case, it can be extremely harmful to your case. Some details of your life are worth sharing on social media, but the details of your divorce are best left unposted. To keep your social media accounts from damaging the outcome of your case, here are some social media habits to avoid during your divorce.
Posting about your spouse or ex-spouse.
Although you may complain about your spouse to close family or friends, avoid doing so on social media. Disparaging your spouse on social media can have disastrous results on your case. Avoid making comments of any kind about your spouse on social media.
Deleting activity that could be used against you.
Most people think that when they delete their social media activity, it disappears forever. However, it is almost impossible to permanently delete anything from your online presence. Even the act of trying to delete your social media activity can be held against you as destruction of evidence or inference of guilt.
Posting photographs of or mentioning drugs and alcohol.
Evidence of drug and alcohol use can be used to prove that you are an unfit parent. Even a casual “Friday Night Wine” post or a picture of you sharing a beer with a friend can be taken out of context or exaggerated. Exercise extreme caution when anyone wants to take a picture of you in social drinking settings.
Discussing new romantic relationships.
Any new romantic relationships should be kept private until your divorce is final. Even if your new relationship began after your marriage ended, any evidence of a new relationship can be used to prove an affair. Keep your new love interest under wraps until everything is settled.
Sharing your location.
While it may be tempting to share details of your new life after your marriage has ended, avoid sharing your location on social media. Sharing the amount of time you spend at bars or casinos may be used against you, especially in custody disputes.
The best way to use social media during your divorce case is not to use it at all. Even innocent photos or posts can have devastating consequences on your divorce case. It’s best to play it safe and avoid using social media until your divorce and all related proceedings are final.