Family Law Attorney
Many people use social media to keep in touch with their family and friends and share news about their lives. While this is mostly harmless, it can be risky for those going through a divorce. If you’re getting divorced, it may be best to stay off social media for now.
Here are a few different ways social media can hurt your divorce case.
It Can Show Your Spending Habits
When people look at your social media profiles, they may get an idea about how much you spend. For example, if you frequently post photos of yourself at fancy restaurants or shopping downtown, people might assume that you have a lot of money to burn. If you are trying to obtain child support, this could hurt your case. Your ex could argue that you really do not need the money if you can afford so much on your own.
It Can Demonstrate Unfit Parenting
If you and your ex have children together, an experienced family law attorney, like one from Hurst, Robin & Kay, LLC, may advise you to be especially careful on social media. Anything you post can be used against you in your custody case. For example, you might post a photo of yourself drinking at a bar with friends. While that might seem innocent enough, the judge could deem you as an unfocused and irresponsible parent.
Your Words Can Come Back to Bite You
It is common for people to feel anger and resentment toward their ex during a divorce. However, even if you and your ex are not on good terms, you should not bash him or her on social media. If the other side sees your angry posts about your ex on your social media pages, they can show that to the judge to paint you as unstable.
It Could Expose Your New Relationship
Attorneys generally advise people in the middle of a divorce to avoid dating. However, not everyone follows this advice. If you do decide to date someone new during your divorce proceedings, you should not post about it on social media. While there is nothing illegal about dating someone else while going through a divorce, it can make things more difficult on you. If your ex sees that you’re dating someone new and gets jealous, he or she may drag on the divorce and refuse to compromise with you.
Your Friends Can Tag You
Even if you are not posting anything on Facebook or other social media profiles right now, keep in mind that your friends can still tag you in photos. This can hurt your divorce case. For example, if you want to obtain spousal support and your friends tag you in a vacation photo, it could indicate that you really don’t need the support. If you want to remain on social media, ask your friends to avoid tagging you in posts.
If you need help with your divorce case, you should contact a family attorney as soon as possible.