You probably use at least one social media site like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter as part of your daily life. But you should keep it on the down-low when you are going through a divorce. What may seem like harmless posts can quickly be misconstrued and used as evidence against you.
If you are going through a divorce, you are also probably dealing with the heavy issues that come along with it like child custody agreements, property division, alimony and more.
Sharing information on social media during this time can be dangerous because a picture says a thousand words but not always accurate ones. Also, some "friends" may not be friendly, and some followers may not have your best interest at heart. Some advice: PUT THE CELL PHONE DOWN.
1. False Image of Luxury/Spending
By posting a photo of you at a spa, or shopping or with an expensive item, it may seem like you're living it up on a big ol' shopping spree, even if you're not. Sharing information that portrays your financial situation, be it good or bad, accurate or misconstrued, could affect how alimony agreements or property divisions are decided. Remember that anything you post online can be used as evidence and it IS used...all the time.
2. A Risk to Child Custody
A photo is worth a thousand words, and if you post the wrong one, you could have a terrible time trying to explain it in court. If someone shares a photo of you out drinking, or at a party, or acting in any way that could be interpreted as irresponsible, you may end up having to explain it in court. Once it has been seen, it is difficult to explain it away.
3. Releasing Private Information
Some privacy settings on social media are difficult to lock out completely, and sometimes even those who you allow to see private posts or messages can betray your trust, even mistakenly. Even if another person shares a photo of you, rather than you posting it yourself, it can still be used against you. Make sure your privacy settings are all on and ask friends and family to refrain from including you in their messages or posts. Or, just PUT THE CELL PHONE DOWN (for now).
Sometimes it may be tempting to vent about your stressful situation, even if you think it is vague or unrelated to your divorce, but it is never a good idea. You shouldn't be sharing details of the divorce with your kids and you can get in trouble for disparaging your spouse's reputation. Even if you delete your post, someone could have saved it or taken a photo of it, and it could later be presented as evidence in court.
Staying away from social media all together is the best way to go during a divorce. It's something that, unlike a bad post, you will never regret. Promise.