Most people never think that a divorce will happen to them. However, any married person faces that possibility, especially in today’s world. At this time in history, almost 50% of marriages in the United States will end in a divorce.
If you are one of those people who is considering splitting with your spouse, you might know how important it is to ensure that your assets and physical possessions are protected. What many people here in Kentucky and elsewhere fail to consider is the affect divorce can have on their digital life. Experts have several tips for anyone who is getting divorced on how to safeguard one’s online life.
Change your passwords
The first thing to do is to change any of your passwords that your ex might know about. This includes passwords for things you might share but that you want to take ownership of at the completion of your divorce, such as online bank accounts or online content provider accounts. Some experts suggest using a password manager to assist you with this process. Hopefully, doing this will prevent your ex or anyone in your ex’s life from doing any digital damage to you, particularly if the divorce is contentious.
Wipe information from shared hardware
If you and your ex share any pieces of digital hardware, such as a computer or tablet, you will want to decide who is going to keep the device. Once that is determined, save or back up any of the media or information contained on the hardware. After that, be sure to reset the product to factory settings to wipe out all data. Keep in mind that just deleting files is often not enough to protect yourself and you may need professional help.
Technology can help with child custody
Even before a custody agreement is in place, certain apps can help you and your ex manage visitation and care for your children. These co-parenting apps can help schedule and track visitation, show location of both exes and show other pertinent information. These apps also often have communication tools that can help mitigate disagreements between exes by filtering out vulgar and adversarial language. That can help keep emotions out of the picture and put the focus on the kids.
The importance of good social media management
As with other online accounts, changing passwords on social media platforms is a good idea, especially if you shared the accounts with your spouse. Even if you and your ex maintained a separate social media presence, making those profiles private may be helpful. In some cases, it might make the most sense to create entirely new online profiles. In any case, avoid posting anything online that might incriminate you during divorce proceedings.
Taking precautions with online information is something that people have to do in today’s world. It is even more important for those who are experiencing a significant life change such as a divorce. Your digital life is worth protecting as it is an inextricable part of you. Getting a professional’s opinion may be the best course of action.