How technology plays its part in your divorce

On your social media page, you may linger over funny kitten videos and cute pictures of your friends’ children. Occasionally, you may also find yourself stopping to read a juicy rant someone has posted about a friend, co-worker or family member. You may even reply to this post to offer your support or to commiserate. After all, you know how good it feels when friends show you the same kind of support.

However, now that you are heading for divorce, it may be time to rethink your social media presence. While these days, posting your grievances on Facebook seems like a perfectly natural thing to do, social media posts are easily misinterpreted and taken out of context. If this happens to you, it may damage your chances for a fair and amicable divorce settlement.

The risks of being too social

During a divorce, your spouse’s friends or attorney may carefully vet your social media. They will be looking for evidence that you have more assets than you claim so your spouse can challenge any requests for support. They may also be looking for signs that you are behaving in a way that would make you unfit for custody of your children. Additionally, they may search your social media for evidence that you have committed adultery.

Even seemingly innocent pictures or posts may be gathered and reinterpreted to make you look bad. In fact, some counselors recommend that people in the midst of divorce simply steer clear of social media until the settlement is final. A delete button cannot always protect you from posts you regret. It only takes a moment for someone to grab a screen shot of a volatile or threatening post or share your comments with someone who could jeopardize your future.

Advice worth following

Whether circumstances between you and your spouse are tense or polite, your use of social media may have a negative effect on your ability to negotiate your divorce settlement. More seriously, if certain posts stir up concern about your fitness as a parent or your eligibility for support, you may find yourself living with those consequences for years to come.

If you have an effective attorney on your side, you can be assured of getting solid advice throughout every aspect of the divorce proceedings. By following that counsel, you will assuredly avoid situations that could compromise your reputation and peace of mind.