There are many legal and emotional reasons that you should be cautious of social media during a?divorce. Today?s technology and social media outlets have drastically changed the aspects of our daily lives. Unfortunately, divorce is no different. You don?t necessarily have to totally unplug, but you need to be aware of the potential, and possibly devastating, consequences of your activity during your divorce proceedings.
Legal Issues
There?s no doubt about it; technology is there everywhere you turn. There are so many forms of technology out there today including, but not limited to, cell phones, GPS, email, internet search engines, and numerous social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat.
Each form of communication can potentially provide a lawyer with incriminating evidence. For instance, pictures of a lavish vacation can call into question your request for lower maintenance payments. Pictures of you at a wild party could bring up negative parenting issues. Information on dating sites can cause all kinds of negative issues as well.
Each time you make a post to a social media platform, you are basically creating a diary of your every move. Even though most of it is probably harmless, some of it can still be taken out of context and may bring to light an image that you don?t want to portray while going through a divorce.
Emotional Issues
When thinking about the social or emotional consequences of social media, you need to be aware that there could be an impact on yourself as well as the other relationships and people in your life. Consider your own emotions and the possible negative impact other people?s postings might have on you. Most people going through a divorce consider it a personal crisis with varying painful emotions. Given the struggles that you are likely to be going through, do you really think you should be looking at other people?s posts about how perfect their life is? Be kind to yourself, and limit your time on social media so that you don?t make yourself feel worse about your current situation.
You also need to be mindful of how other people will read your post. Sure, venting online is a quick way to release your anger and emotions, but it is also very hard to repair the potential damage that your post may cause. If your soon-to-be ex, his family or friends, or even your own children, read what you said, it is impossible to take it back. The damage has already been done.
There is also the issue of privacy. Think about how your children would feel if all of their friends? parents read all of your negative remarks and the ugly details of your pending divorce. Your children?s friends would probably hear their parents talking and repeat stuff that they heard to your children. Negative comments and teasing of your children could make their lives extremely difficult. Maintaining privacy is essential in keeping your children safe from the negativity of the situation.
Maintain Integrity
Using social media is like any other point of choice during your divorce proceedings. You can, and should, choose to take the high road. When you choose to act with integrity you will feel so much better in the long run. Venting can be satisfying in the heat of the moment, but the pain can keep you stuck in the past instead of moving on toward a healthier future for you and your children.
As with many things in life, there is an upside and a downside to the use of social media. During a divorce, you should be cautious with your posts to protect yourself both legally and emotionally. You also might what to consider face-to-face support over support from Facebook or other places. You would be in contact with a real person who can better meet your needs, rather than dealing with words on a screen.
The attorneys at Sherer Law Offices have been providing legal representation for divorce cases for more than 20 years. Our experienced divorce attorneys will take the time to really listen to your unique situation so that they can plan strategies that can best protect your best interests.
