Like many other people, you may use social media on a regular basis posting pictures and sharing information about your life.
However, you are using a public platform and any information there could work against you during your divorce. Here are three ways that might happen.
1. Property division
You must disclose financial information during your divorce—your debts, assets and general financial circumstances. Your posts on social media may show your finances to be different than what you reported. For example, if you display a favorite piece of expensive jewelry online, your spouse could say you did not list this asset during property division.
2. Support responsibilities
The amounts of spousal support and child support payments are usually based on income earned. Depending on the information you post, questions could arise in court about your earning power. For example, you might state that a disability has reduced your earning ability. Yet the photos you posted of enjoying a recent skiing vacation tell a different story.
3. Parental decisions
The court always considers the best interests of the child. A judge will want to know that you are a fit parent who can cooperate with your spouse in the raising of your child. If you post negative and disparaging comments about your spouse on social media, it is possible that the attorney for your soon-to-be ex will see those remarks and use them to raise doubts about your parenting skills.
Next steps
Many attorneys recommend that people avoid using social media altogether while going through a divorce. Even a photo or comment that seems totally unrelated to the divorce can cause problems you do not anticipate. If you use social media frequently, rely on guidance from your attorney as to the best way forward.