Considerations for Social Media Usage During Divorce

 Posted on January 09, 2024 in Divorce

People alive today have access to technology that could not have been imagined only a couple of generations ago. The internet helps people find and purchase items they need, enjoy entertainment, and even find potential love, all at the click of a button. However, hardly anything that people do or post on social media can be kept private, and total strangers can see political expressions you make or pictures of you doing things you may otherwise prefer not to be public. This can be especially important to keep in mind when you are in the midst of a divorce for several reasons. If you are getting divorced and have questions about how your social media usage might affect the outcomes, an Aurora, IL divorce attorney can help find the answers.

Can My Activity on Social Media Truly Impact My Divorce Settlement?

Often, people who are going through divorce want to portray themselves as upstanding citizens. If they have children and want to be granted full or primary custody, they want to ensure they appear as responsible parents who can provide a stable and safe environment. If they want to ensure high child support payments, it would be good for them to seem financially weaker than their spouse. If they want to try to avoid paying alimony/spousal support, they might want to downplay their wealth. But the courts will not simply accept their word as fact; things posted on social media can serve as proof of reality.

If you are in the midst of a divorce or you think you might be soon, there are several things you should consider when posting things on social media

• You can never guarantee that your information is kept private. Even if you try to enable strict security settings, people you do not know can still access things you post or other people post about you. You should assume that any picture you are in can end up being used in court.
• You cannot know exactly how something posted online about you or with you in it can be interpreted. If your company publishes a message congratulating you on a promotion, even if you still are not earning enough money to cover monthly expenses, it could have serious implications for your alimony provisions. If friends decide to surprise you with a rare night out, pictures they post online could give off the impression that you are wild and irresponsible, impacting a child custody arrangement.
• You can not control how many people will read your posts. On some social networks, you can see messages posted by people you do not know if someone you are connected to has reacted. You should never assume that only your friends or connections will see your posts. If you do not want the entire world to know that you are going through a divorce, it might be better to individually tell the people you want to share that information with.

Contact a Kane County, IL Divorce Lawyer

If you think you are headed toward a divorce, it might be advisable to change your conduct on social media. Call The Law Office of Matthew M. Williams, P.C. at 630-409-8184 so an experienced North Aurora, IL divorce attorney can guide you on how to protect your rights and interests before divorce proceedings even begin.