If you are like most Americans, social media use may now be an intrinsic part of your day-to-day life. You might check your newsfeeds before getting out of bed in the morning, use your profiles to stay in touch with family or otherwise rely on social media channels for your communications, but if you are also going through a divorce, it may prove wise to modify your habits.
This is particularly true if the situation between you and your spouse is especially acrimonious, in which case you may want to take extra steps to avoid posting anything online that could potentially come back to bite you. Consider doing the following when it comes to using social media amid divorce.
Not using it
Sure, it might be easier said than done, but the most surefire way to avoid getting in this type of trouble is to abstain from using social media entirely, or at least until your divorce goes through. Even cutting back from your daily habits may be of benefit to you during this time.
Avoiding dating sites
If your marriage is coming to an end, it might be tempting to put yourself back out there, but doing so before the divorce is final could land you in hot water. Your spouse or his or her attorneys can potentially find dating profiles you create and use them to question your character or argue infidelity. So, again, hold off on looking for that next Mr. or Mrs. Right until you can do so safely and without potentially hurting your case.
Not assuming any level of privacy
Many people who use social media mistakenly believe that keeping their profiles “private” will keep information from getting into the wrong hands. Do not make this mistake. Even if you blocked the person you are divorcing, you may have mutual friends who will allow your spouse access to your profiles. Someone could also take a screenshot of your page that is easily shareable with others who are not necessarily your own contacts.
For more tips about successfully navigating social media during divorce, consider speaking with a lawyer.
