How can social media posts affect my divorce?

When you go through a divorce, you have to deal with a wide array of emotions. You may feel hurt, angry, relieved and worried all in the same week or even the same day. You may want to vent on social media, to seek support through family and friends, as your divorce proceeds. However, discussing your divorce on social media can be a bad idea. In fact, 80% of divorce attorneys report finding evidence on social media they can present in court.

Here are five ways what you post on social media can affect your divorce:

1. If you assume de-friending your ex and setting your account to private will protect you. More than likely, you and your ex still will share friends on social media amid your divorce. You need to assume any information you post will get back to your ex in some way.
2. If you make nasty, snarky comments about your spouse. If you share children with your spouse, an attorney could use those comments to show you aren’t serious about establishing a good co-parenting relationship. That can be an important factor in a child custody case.
3. If you post photos of a new vehicle you bought or from an expensive vacation you took. When you divorce, you may seek spousal support. You also need to divide your assets equitably in Connecticut. Having these images appear in court could make it seem you have more money or assets than you claim, hurting your argument for spousal support or a larger share of specific assets.
4. If you post photos of you out partying hard. If you are in a child custody battle, images of you out partying might be used to show you aren’t the stable parent you claim to be.
5. If you share information on social media that contradicts your statements in legal documents or court.

The best way to avoid having social media affect your divorce is to disengage from it completely. You could shut down your accounts or even just delete social media apps from your phone. Or you can avoid posting any photos or discussing your divorce in any way. You want to be proactive to avoid having something you post become a factor in your divorce.