In many regards, a divorce is a legal battle between you and your spouse, especially if it is a heated, contested divorce. In any "fight," the last thing you want to do is give information about yourself to the opposition. And yet, this is exactly what many divorcés inadvertently do when they use their social media apps.
You can set your accounts to private but whatever information you put on your Facebook wall, Instagram page, Twitter tree, etc. is technically public. If your spouse's legal counsel sees a post of yours that can be used against you in the divorce, they have every right to do so.
For example, you might want full child custody but post a picture of yourself drinking heavily with friends. While you should be allowed to do what you want with your friends, and that incident may have been singular, a judge may see the photograph as evidence of your reckless or irresponsible behavior. Given a clever argument from the opposing counsel, you could potentially lose custody rights.
Property division, child support, alimony, and any aspect of a divorce involving money can also be directly affected by the information found on social media. Sharing videos of your vacation in Paris, for example, could reduce the alimony payments you receive, as your ex-spouse could argue that you have enough money or wouldn't use it responsibly anyway.
Shut It Off & Lock It Up
When you are worried that your social media posts could be used against you during your divorce, the safest bet is just turning off the apps until your divorce finalizes. Nothing can hurt you if it doesn't exist. If you aren't certain you will be able to resist the temptation of posting your updates regularly, get a close, trusted friend to change your passwords. Once the divorce is over, you can switch it back.
If you need legal counsel instead of the counsel of a friend, that is where Masella Law Firm, P.A. steps in. Our Columbia divorce attorneys can bring 20+ years of total legal and trial experience to your case, protecting your rights as a divorcé and upholding your best interests all along the way. Call 803.938.4952 now and ask about getting a personal consultation.