Your divorce and social media
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Your divorce and social media

On Behalf of | Apr 25, 2018 | Divorce |

Social media is part of life. You may be one of those in Kentucky and elsewhere who check your Facebook or Instagram account before your feet even hit the floor in the morning. If you are in the habit of updating your status whenever something goes right or wrong during the day, you may be posting even more often now that you are going through a divorce.

However, legal advocates for divorcing couples recommend prudence and restraint when using social media during the divorce process. Just as your social media accounts are a normal part of your life, they are also fast becoming a normal part of investigations by divorce attorneys. You can be certain than your future ex’s legal team is just as interested in your posts as your many friends.

Keep drama to a minimum

In addition to unnecessarily increasing the drama between you and your spouse, your oversharing may damage your chances for a peaceful transition into post-divorce life. For example, changing your relationship status before informing family and friends of your intention to split may stir up ill feelings and cause confusion among those you love most. Instead, you and your spouse may be able to reach an agreement about the best way to reveal your plans to the significant people in your life.

The same negative impact may occur from sharing too much information about your personal life during this difficult time. You may be tempted to post a scathing revelation about your spouse’s indiscretions or other hurtful details to rally your friends to your side. However, this seldom works and serves more often to create a rift among those friends you and your spouse shared. It may also be damaging to your children who may in the future come across those painful posts.

Boasting may hurt your cause

If you are seeking spousal support or a disproportionate amount in property division, you would be wise not to post pictures of yourself on a lavish vacation or after a spending spree. Your spouse’s attorney could easily use these posts, or any that remotely resemble overspending, as evidence that you do not need support from your former spouse. More divorce attorneys than ever are using social media in this way, and your privacy settings may not always protect you.

The same precautions are important when you consider making social media posts about behavior that may bring your fitness as a parent into question. This may include seemingly innocent pictures of you holding an alcoholic beverage or at a night club with friends. Many times, divorce attorneys recommend that clients avoid using their social media during the time their lives are under such legal scrutiny. Your attorney will certainly have valuable advice for keeping your divorce on the right track.

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