Social media apps are arguably the most popular form of electronic entertainment today. It seems virtually everyone in the country, from little kids to gray elders, uses social media constantly. Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, and more dominate the screens of our smartphones and tablets. But when going through a divorce, you should learn to kick this popular habit.
Your Social Media Life is Public
Anything that goes onto a social media “wall” is public. You can make all your profile settings “private” and try to keep things away from prying eyes, but this does not change the fact that you are technically and legally making public posts. As numerous family law courts have held in the past, a post is public as long as anyone else at all can access it. Since every social media app has behind-the-scenes people scanning posts for illegal activities, every social media app is public.
The openness of social media can be problematic when you are in a divorce. Your spouse and their legal representation is free to crawl through your posts to look for something that might hurt you in the divorce proceedings. For example, if you are constantly posting pictures of yourself at wild parties, then those images could be used as convincing evidence as to why you should not be given child custody. Judges must rule in favor of the best interests of a child, and a party-going mother or father does not seem, at first glance, to be a responsible parent.
How to Close Down Social Media for Now
The best thing to do to prevent posting something that could be misconstrued against you in your divorce is to simply not post anything at all. Just stop using social media to post updates, pictures, and more. You can still use it to privately communicate with people, as this is often quite difficult to access without a judge’s permission, but still be careful of what you say and share. Basically, do not use social media or any other online format to vent about your ex, or talk disparagingly about them.
You should also not outright delete your social media accounts, as this looks suspicious. Many people choose to let a trusted family member or close friend change their social media passwords. When the divorce is finalized, they are given those new passwords, effectively locking them out for the time being.
For more information about divorce and legal counsel to get you through it, call 904.770.3141 to contact Owenby Law, P.A. Our Jacksonville divorce attorneys have more than a decade of legal experience helping people through complex and high-stakes family law disputes. Request your free initial consultation now.