Social media is a powerful tool that can be used for good (or evil). In today’s world, it’s common for most to share every detail about your life with the world. So how does this mentality affect those going through a divorce? The truth is, that social media can be used as evidence in court against custody decisions, alimony claims, and overall case outcomes. We want you to feel comfortable and safe while using social media during your divorce process, so we have compiled a list of 5 tips to follow when using social media during a divorce.
- Stay off social media
The safest way of using social media during the divorce process is simply to not use it. This means temporarily disabling (or even deleting) your accounts. Keep in mind that if you don’t log in to your accounts to continue to keep them active, others can still tag you in posts. The best option is to create a new account once the divorce is finalized.
- Change your privacy settings
If you decide to continue to stay active, your next level of protection is to change your privacy settings to the highest level that each platform offers. You will need to go into your privacy settings for each account to ensure all of your accounts are protected. Having a higher level of privacy will help keep unwanted viewers from seeing your posts (and information).
- Consider who you want in your social media community
Not all of your social media friends are actual friends. We hear from clients all the time about finding out who their real friends are when going through a divorce. If you have connections with people you know you won’t keep in touch with after the divorce, it’s best to just unfriend those people during the divorce process. The last thing you want is to provide your (soon to be) ex with information that could be used against you during the divorce, and while you may not be friends with your ex on social media, their friends could share that information with them.
- Change login information
Before even starting the divorce process, change your logins! If you have been using the same passwords for all your accounts during your marriage, this is the time to change it up. Use something new and different that your partner won’t be able to use to log in. Don’t forget to store your new passwords in a place your ex won’t be able to find. The last thing you want during a divorce is to allow your ex to be able to log into your account and post things that could be held against you.
- Take extra precautions when posting
Before posting anything to your social media accounts, ask yourself the following questions:
“Could this be used against me during my divorce?
“Does this post make me look like an unfit parent to my children?”
“Does this post make me look angry or unstable?”
“Will this post create more drama for the divorce process?”
It’s also important to keep in mind what others are posting about you. If someone tags you in a post that could potentially be used against you, untag yourself from the post.
Social media was created as a way to keep in touch with friends and family. And while that remains to be the main reason people participate in it, it’s important to acknowledge that not every reason for its use is a positive one. Here at the Law Offices of Gina Smalley, our goal is to protect our clients and to fight for your rights. Together, we will navigate the divorce process, including social media, to ensure a positive outcome in your divorce.
