Social media platforms have done something remarkable: they’ve given a voice to those who have not previously had a voice. Before social media, if you had something to say, you could either say it to the people in the room, or say it to yourself. In the present day, depending on your privacy settings, your status could have the potential to reach anyone in the world. Though the power to have your voice heard may be exciting, it’s important to remember that with great power comes great responsibility—especially if you’re going through a divorce.
Change Your Passwords
If you’re going through a divorce, it may be a good idea to change your password. If you’re still in the same house as your ex, you will also want to make sure that your password isn’t saved into the computer either. When it comes to divorce court, pretty much anything goes when it comes to evidence. Your status updates, photos you post, and messages you send, could be used against you during the divorce process. Because of this, you don’t want your spouse to be able to access your private messages or have the ability to post things as you on Facebook. One of the best ways to prevent this is enabling two-factor authentication. This requires users to verify their identity by entering a code that’s been sent to their phone.
Keep Your Relationship Status
It’s not abnormal for people to rush into changing their marital status on Facebook. However, this could upset your spouse. A lot of people act unpredictably during the divorce process, and things that wouldn’t normally upset them can be greatly distressing. You may not think that changing your marital status would upset your spouse but it could cause them to act out. For this reason, it’s probably the safest to keep your marital status as married. If your partner changes their status, don’t make a big deal out of it. For the sake of reducing and preventing drama, keep your status the same until you’re officially divorced.
Make Sure to Review Posts You’re Tagged In
A lot of social media platforms allow users to tag other users in posts. However, not all social media platforms allow users to approve the posts they’re tagged in before the post is uploaded. Make sure your friends aren’t tagging you in posts that could be upsetting to your spouse or used against you in divorce proceedings. During this time, it’s probably a good idea to ask your friends and family not to tag you in anything. If you notice that you’ve been tagged in something that you wouldn’t want your spouse or a judge seeing, remove the tag immediately. If you’re using social media platforms that don’t allow you to approve tags before the post is live, you may want to consider deleting your social media accounts while you’re going through divorce.
Don’t Post Pictures of Your New Bae
If you’re taking selfies with your new bae thinking about how upset your spouse is going to be when they see these photos, stop it. Stop it right now. One of the reasons people go through divorces that take years and cost tens of thousands of dollars has to do with the amount of conflict in the divorce. You don’t want to have a high-conflict divorce. The amount of pain your ex is going to feel when they see you with your new man or woman is not worth the additional emotional trauma of a high conflict divorce. It’s also not worth the pain your wallet could feel when your behavior inspires your ex to fight over petty issues. Also, until you’re divorced any sexual relations outside of your marriage is legally considered to be adultery.
Don’t Post Pictures that Could Be Damaging
If you’re trying to get full custody, the last thing you want to have is pictures of you partying in Las Vegas. Although there’s nothing wrong with occasional partying in Las Vegas, you’ll want to appear to be as stable and mature as possible when trying to get custody, and pictures of you acting like an out-of-control undergraduate student is not conducive to producing a stable and mature image. If you’re trying to avoid alimony, don’t take pictures of yourself with new cars or appliances. Oftentimes, people don’t consider how their posts give away their financial status. And it doesn’t have to be overt either: it’s not going to go well if you represent to the court that you’re struggling financially and then your spouse presents photos of you on vacation or out with your new car.
Delete Facebook, Lawyer up, Hit the Gym
If you’re going through a divorce, the best advice we can give you is to deactivate your social media accounts and lawyer up. There’s a good reason we’re the best family law firm in Utah: at CoilLaw, our experienced lawyers are committed to advocating for you throughout the divorce process. If you’re ready to file for divorce, and you need legal advice, contact CoilLaw today.
