Getting a divorce is a big deal. You may feel like telling your friends and family about the big change, but you should make sure you keep it private. With social media having earned such a prominent role in our day-to-day lives, it may not feel like a big deal to post the news online. However, when it comes to divorce proceedings, making details public can have a significant negative impact on the outcome of your case. Your best bet is to avoid posting much about your divorce on social media.
How Posting Can Affect a Court Ruling
More people use social media than ever, and it seems like almost nothing is too private to post about. While this may be fun for your followers, your family court judge will not be particularly happy about it. In fact, because social media use has been linked to conflict in relationships, having a strong online presence could suggest that you are the cause of your marital problems.
Photographic Evidence Weighing Against You
Some people have posted photos of themselves with someone other than their spouse. Once it turned out they were cheating with the person in the photo, the other spouse virtually had a winning case handed to them. When divorce is imminent, posting on social media can become evidence used against you. Whether or not it is interpreted correctly is beside the point—you will now have to explain yourself to a judge. When considering divorce, keep away from posting on social media.
Online posts can be used against you to suggest:
- You are a poor caretaker for children
- You are not mentally stable
- You’re leading a double life
False Sense of Security
Thinking about changing your settings to private and posting about your divorce? Don’t do it. Even if your privacy settings keep your posts hidden from the general public, there is a likelihood that one of your friends will share the private information and hurt your chances at a favorable outcome. The better choice is to simply limit what you make publicly available for people to see.
Exercising tact and wise discretion is the best policy. The less there is for people to think about, the better. Keep your private matters private and you will be able to more effectively control the court’s perception of you, helping you better manage the outcome of your case.