On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in divorce on Tuesday, August 30, 2016.
Social media is a part of our daily lives. This preoccupation with social media may seem pretty harmless, but it could be causing more problems than you think, especially if you are in a relationship.
As articles like this one on the Huffington Post point out, social media can hurt relationships in a number of ways, from making it easier to cheat to creating a false sense of reality. However, social media use can also hurt people who are getting out of relationships. For instance, if you are getting divorced, there are a few ways you could wind up damaging yourself and others through social media.
- As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. When you share a picture online, it can be telling others a lot more than you realize. For instance, pictures of you partying until 3 a.m., on vacation, spending money or hanging out with certain people can contradict statements you may have made about money, parenting or illicit relationships in court.
- “Venting” can paint you in a negative light. Many of us go online to seek support. However, if all you are doing is bad-mouthing an ex, smearing his or her name online or revealing secrets to make that person look bad, it could ultimately backfire and make you look vengeful or impulsive.
- It can invite a lot of inaccurate and unwarranted pieces of advice. If you mention challenges you are having with child custody on social media, you can quickly get a lot of anecdotal feedback from others who “have been through the same thing.” However, no two cases are alike, and something that may have happened to one person may not happen to another.
These are just a few ways that social media use can stand between you and the fair divorce you are seeking.
In order to avoid these and other complications, it can be wise to discuss social media usage with your attorney. He or she can help you avoid making any mistakes that could jeopardize your divorce settlement.
