By The Law Office of August J. Landi |October 24, 2018
Social media is incredibly ubiquitous these days and most of us have an account on at least one platform, such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. While social media is certainly a great way to share your life with friends and family and an effective tool for networking and expanding your circle of friends and acquaintances, it can be immensely detrimental to your settlement if you are in the midst of a divorce. With so much at stake, it is generally unwise to continue to use social media before your divorce is finalized. How can something so seemingly innocuous cause so much damage? Continue reading to find out.
Below is a list of reasons why you should stay off social media during your divorce:
Posts can easily be taken out of context: A post that might seem harmless to you could actually be used against you in court and taken out of context to hurt your case. For example, if you post a picture of yourself drinking with friends on a night out, or pictures that might portray you as an excessive drinker partier, you might not seem too responsible to a judge. If you are trying to win custody of your children, this sort of behavior will certainly have an impact on whether or not you are able to successfully obtain the visitation rights or custody arrangement you are fighting for. Remember, almost anything can be taken out of context, so the best course of action is to err on the side of caution and avoid social media for the time being.
Your posts contradict statements you made in court: People often try to make themselves seem much better off online than they are in real life, but unfortunately, stretching the truth on social media during your divorce can actually have serious ramifications. If you go to court and claim that you cannot make alimony payments, but make a post on social media about a lavish new purchase or an expensive vacation, you are going to look like a liar to a judge. Dishonesty will get you nowhere in court, so stay away from social media and you will be able to resist the temptation of fibbing about how well you are doing.
You post details about your divorce: The divorce is likely at the forefront of your mind and, of course, when many of us post to social media, we tend to post about what is currently happening in our lives. However, if you log into Facebook to write a post about how much of a terrible person your former spouse is and how angry you are with him or her, this will only backfire on you.
The posts your friends make might hurt you: Even if they do not intend to cause you any harm, the posts your friends make on social media can potentially harm you as well. Ask them not to tag you in any pictures or posts and to never post anything regarding the details of your marriage or divorce.
Your posts are never really private: Just because you unfriended or blocked your spouse does not mean he or she will never be able to see your posts. The two of you shared a life together and likely have a lot of mutual friends. You might not know who is loyal to you or to your spouse, so if you post something that might be useful to your spouse, you can bet a friend might spill the beans and provide screenshots of it to use against you in court. Instead of trying to figure out who among your friends you should remove from your friends list, simply stay off social media until your divorce is finalized.
Experienced Divorce Attorney in Monmouth
If you and your spouse can no longer make your marriage work, now is the time to seek skilled legal representation to ensure you are able to achieve the best settlement possible. At The Law Office of August J. Landi in Monmouth, our divorce team is dedicated to providing the effective legal guidance you need to get you through this difficult and emotional experience while protecting your interests.
Get started on your divorce case today and reach out to our law firm at (732) 832-0022 to request a free initial consultation with our knowledgeable attorney.