Social Media Affects Family Law

There are many actions and decisions we make on a daily basis that don’t seem important at the time. We express an opinion, talk about something that happened to us, vent, etc. Social media has given people a space to do this where they feel heard. Though you are probably aware on some level that these actions could have consequences, it can be easy to forget that when a long period of time passes without any negative repercussions. If you are facing a divorce, you will want to consider how your social media history could affect elements of the divorce outcome.

Posting Could Impact Your Case

As recent incidents have reminded the public, social media accounts are not as private as we would prefer. Since many people post every day, it is easy to forget some posts you have written. Even if you expressed an opinion or information that seemed innocent enough at the time, it could be turned against you in ways that may surprise you and hurt your case.

While you can erase some posts you think were mistakes, that doesn’t mean they are truly gone; they can be dredged up. What you can do, is change how you post during your divorce; basically, it is best to avoid posting anything about the divorce. Posting during divorce, particularly if you’re posting information about your divorce, can impact the results of your case.

Because social media use is so prevalent in people’s daily lives, it is also becomes useful in other aspects of people’s lives; the fact is that lawyers can use social media as evidence in a case. Even if you have implemented stronger privacy settings, the world at large can still find ways to see your posts, or your moments of ranting. They’re seen, spread, and they can easily find their way onto the screen of someone who might try to use them against you. So, if you post something about making a big purchase, that might affect financial decisions in your case. If the legal decisions regarding parental rights are a struggle, any photos of you online that may have seemed rather harmless at the time-out drinking with friends, etc.-could be scrutinized.

It is very important that you remain aware of how your social media activity affects you during divorce. The absolute safest thing you can do is stop using social media completely until the divorce is over. You can also take a few other precautionary steps:

Trim Your Friends List: If you’re concerned about the divorce causing tensions, you can reduce your friends list to those whom you know and trust only. Yes, this can be difficult and cause some tensions elsewhere, but you can consider it if necessary.

Change Passwords: If your spouse has access to your social media accounts, and that concerns you, then changing your passwords will help you keep those accounts private. Of course, it is still important to remember that nothing online is truly private.

Of course, whether you’re in the midst of divorce or not, it is always best to think twice before posting anything. Laws regarding information posted on social media and how it may be used in court are still in development, so always keep yourself as safe as possible. When you need help navigating any part of divorce in Florida, come to Miller Law.