The importance of avoiding social media during a divorce

The importance of avoiding social media during a divorce

On Behalf of | Oct 18, 2023 | Divorce

In this digital day and age, it’s almost impossible for Michigan residents to avoid social media. It can be addictive, but it’s crucial to be smart when using it, and it might be wise to hold off when you are going through a divorce.

Nothing is truly private

If your marriage is ending, you might be tempted to go on all your social media pages and vent about your estranged spouse, but that’s unwise. Even with privacy settings enabled to the maximum, nothing you post is truly private. If you and your estranged spouse have mutual connections, those people can see your posts and report back to them. This could happen even if someone says something jokingly and doesn’t mean any harm.

Photos may be incriminating

Any photos you post on social media can be misconstrued while going through a divorce. For example, if you have a night out drinking with friends and post pictures showing as much, your spouse could use them against you as evidence of a drinking problem. This could potentially hurt you if you have children and want custody.

It might compromise your ability to be awarded alimony

If you seek alimony, your social media posts can compromise your ability to secure it. This might happen if you have a habit of posting details like taking extravagant trips or making luxurious purchases. Even worse, if you post anything about having a lot of money, it can prevent you from getting financial support in your divorce settlement.

You might think that your social media posts are yours alone and that nothing can touch you even when you’re in the middle of a divorce. That is not true; using common sense and avoiding social media until your situation is final might be the best thing you can do.