SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOUR DIVORCE
Deciding to divorce and moving forward with it is painful, especially if you feel you are the wronged party. Having your family and friends as a support system is important. But, social media isn’t the place for that support. Those rants about your spouse and sarcastic comments could negatively impact the outcome of your case.
Consider the following at the beginning and during your divorce:
- Change your passwords. Sure, it’s a hassle to change the password on all of your accounts (bank, online, social media, etc.) and devices. Use a strong password (a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters). Don’t assume that your spouse doesn’t know your passwords, rather assume that they do and secure the information in those accounts from others, including your spouse and his/her attorney. Electronic communication between you and your attorney must be secure to remain confidential.
- Keep communication with your attorney privileged/confidential. If you and your spouse communicate electronically, be sure that communication is not part of an email thread with your attorney. If you need to transmit information from your attorney to your spouse, begin a new email. Communication between you and your attorney is no longer privileged or confidential if you share it with your spouse.
- Be careful what you post on social media. Assume that anything you post on social media could be seen by a Judge or your spouse’s attorney and used against you. For example, you claim you have no money to pay for something for your child but post pictures of a weekend trip with a new person of interest. Your friend has paid for the trip but the photos don’t show that. Your spouse’s attorney will make the argument that you didn’t have money for your child because you’re using it for your new friend. True or not, the appearance is there and hard to overcome.
Facebook, Twitter, Instragram, etc. are not the places to rant about your spouse and his/her shortcomings. The old adage, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all” is a good one to follow.
Data from your cell phone, I-pad, and computer can be collected and analyzed as part of the discovery process. Although there is a cost associated with this, it is an option in litigation if it is determined it could be beneficial to the case. This means that all calendars, text messages, email, voicemail, documents, pictures, videos, anything on your computer can be retrieved and used.
Think before you post to social media. Think before you send a vicious, sarcastic text or email. If you don’t want a Judge to see it, don’t send or post it.
For more information about social media and your divorce, contact the experienced attorneys at Goodblatt ● Leo today for a consultation. Call us today at (407) 228-7007 or fill out our online form so we can begin reviewing your case.