In this day and age, social media is a large party of people’s everyday lives. Many people use it as a way to update their family and friends in their life. It can be used for day to day events or celebrations in people’s lives. While these life events can be exciting to share with others, there are certain parts of life that are better off not put on social media. This can include the details of your divorce case. It is important to note that sharing this information or speaking poorly about a spouse during divorce proceedings can negatively affect the outcome.
How Can My Social Media Affect My Divorce?
There are many ways social media can impact divorce proceedings. Recent reports on this topic show the following:
- 81% of all divorce attorneys found social networking information that was later presented in court as evidence
- 66% of divorce lawyers use Facebook as a primary evidence source
- ⅓ of divorce actions begin with affairs that happen online
Bad Social Media Habits to Avoid
When going through divorce proceedings, it is beneficial to just not use social media at all. This can prevent seemingly innocent posts from being twisted into harmful content that can be used against you in court. However, if you choose to still use social media, it is important to do so with caution. The following are things to avoid doing on social media in order to protect your case:
- Speaking badly about your spouse or ex-spouse online. While simply making complaints can seem harmless, any comments, threats, criticisms, and more can lead to damaging results.
- Deleting social media activity. Many people believe that by deleting a post on social media, it disappears forever. However, this is not the case, as it is impossible to permanently delete social media activity. Incriminating content can still be found and used in court. Deleting these posts can be seen as an inference of guilt and may be held against you.
- Posting pictures or mentioning alcohol and/or drug use. Simply posting a picture with a beer or a glass of wine with a friend can be taken out of context and used in court to prove a spouse as an unfit parent.
- Discussing new relationships. Any romantic relationships that happen during divorce proceedings should be kept private until the process is final, as the evidence may be used as proof of an affair in court.
- Letting friends post about your life. While friends can sometimes have opinions of their own, it is important to discourage them from making posts about your life and divorce. This information can be just as harmful as your own postings when used in court.
- Sharing your location. People often like to check-in when they are attending certain events or popular locations. However, checking in at locations such as bars, clubs, and casinos can be harmful to your case.
Contact our Firm
Alfred Law Firm, LLC is proud to serve clients in Georgia when they face legal matters related to family law and criminal defense. When legal issues arise, it is important to have the guidance of an experienced attorney that can help you obtain a favorable outcome. Contact our firm today to schedule a consultation.