How Your Spouse Can Use Social Media Against You During Divorce

Posted on: 21 June 2017

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These days everybody seems to live in social media. However, if you are going through a divorce, you ought to take your foot off the gas pedal, so to speak, as far as social media use is concerned. Otherwise, you may give your spouse ammunition to use against you during the divorce proceedings. Here are three types of information your spouse may be able to glean from your social media pages:

Evidence of New Relationship

Many people find it difficult to hide their relationships from their social media friends. You may be able to do it, but what if your romantic interest can't help but share their liaisons on your social media pages?

Unfortunately, dating during a divorce isn't a good idea. For one, it can elicit a bias (from the divorce court judge) against you. it may also reduce your share of the divorce settlement, especially if you are deemed to be cohabiting with your new flame. In some cases, it may even reduce your chances of getting child custody.

This is why dating before the divorce is finalized isn't a good idea. If you are already doing it, then it's in your best interest not to splash it on your social media pages.

Violations of Restraining Orders

If your spouse has a restraining order against you, you should do your best to obey it even if you are convinced the order was wrongly issued. In case you violate the order, even accidentally, don't let your social media pages broadcast your actions. Even if you don't actively name-drop your locations, the locations you visit may be visible to others (including the court) via the geolocation tags provided by social media sites, including Facebook.

Asset Dissipation

Lastly, you should also be careful so that your social media accounts don't show activities or objects that may be misconstrued as asset dissipation on your behalf. Legally speaking, asset dissipation is the use of marital resources for personal benefit. For example, some people go on spending sprees when their divorce is imminent; the spending spree may be done unconsciously or consciously to punish the other spouse. Unfortunately, posting pictures of your new superbike on Instagram or vacation photos on Facebook may make your spouse suspect you of asset dissipation.

Unfortunately, social media is not your friend if your divorce is imminent or if you are already going through a divorce process. Don't delete your accounts since that may be viewed as destruction of evidence, especially if you have made some damning posts. Instead, just go easy on your posts and shares. Contact a divorce lawyer for more information.