The decisions that you make as you get close to divorce can profoundly impact the outcome of the process. Social media, which has become a commonplace part of everyday life, can have a major influence on the outcome of your divorce.
Depending on how you and your spouse approach the process, the things you share on social media could potentially cause you issues or help you prove something important in court. Getting divorced doesn’t mean you have to eschew all use of social media, but it does require that you have a more careful and considered approach to online sharing.
Be very careful about what you share, regardless of your privacy settings
Too many people fall victim to the presumption that their privacy settings will adequately shield them from legal consequences regarding what they post online. Even if you have already blocked your ex and their family members, you likely have shared friends and acquaintances on your friends list who can see what you post.
It is impossible to know who might screenshot your private conversations or posts with your ex. As a general rule, don’t share anything on social media, regardless of privacy settings, unless you would be willing to say it to the judge in your divorce case. The more emotional or upset you feel, the less you should share.
Making disparaging comments about your ex, ranting about how unfair the courts are or bragging about your new relationship could all influence the outcome of your divorce.
It is perfectly acceptable to continue posting to keep friends and family aware of what’s going on in your life. However, you shouldn’t discuss the details of your divorce or your relationship with your ex online. You should also ask others to contact you before tagging you or sharing images of you online during the divorce.
Keep an eye out for what your ex shares online
Social media posts can help you, just as they could hurt you. If your ex is in the habit of oversharing online, angry or emotional posts could help you in court. When couples can’t agree on asset division terms or child custody solutions, the courts must step in and set terms.
If your ex disparages the courts, threatens you or brags about adultery or illegal activities online, that social media content could help you prove your side of the situation in court. Keeping an eye out for negative or accusatory posts online is a good idea.
However, you don’t want to fall into the trap of routinely checking your ex’s page either. If you don’t need leverage provided by posts made by your ex, it may be in your best interest to simply block them and avoid seeing updates about their life for the foreseeable future.
Handling social media intelligently is only one step that you will need to take to successfully navigating modern divorce. The more you know about the divorce process in New Hampshire, the better the decisions you make will be.
