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Social Media and Your Divorce

avoid social media during divorce

How Social Media Can Affect Your Divorce

Going through a divorce can be very difficult. In most cases, both spouses are angry. They are angry the marriage is ending, they want someone to blame, and in many cases they may take this anger out on the other spouse via social media. This is a terrible thing to do, and whatever you post on social media can be used against you at a later date.

Social Media Can Impact Settlement & Custody

Almost everyone has seen posts online, some even by people you associate with, that are derogatory towards the other party in the divorce. It could be one spouse putting the other down and blaming them for the divorce. There have even been instances in which a spouse has threatened physical harm to their soon-to-be ex. These remarks are often made in anger, and in an attempt to convince everyone the other person is the wrong-doer, or to try to ruin the other person’s reputation.

There are three main ways social media can affect your divorce:

• It can affect the settlement of your divorce
• It can affect the custody arrangement in a divorce with children
• There may even be legal ramifications such as jail time

Avoiding the Social Media Black Hole

When a divorce is just starting, most clients are advised to avoid social media at all costs, or to limit the use of social media (including Facebook). It may be easy to follow your soon-to-be ex online and see what he or she is posting, but you should not do it. Chances are, it will only make you angrier, and may affect your judgment. A few other helpful tips for dealing with social media while going through a divorce include:

•Do not post any pictures or comments that could show you as being immature, neglectful towards your children or unfit in general
•Do not flaunt a new boyfriend or girlfriend via these posts, even if you are nearing the end of your divorce
•Ensure that family and friends are not tagging you in posts that are questionable, as this can still be held against you in court

While social media is a great tool for staying in touch with people and also a great form of entertainment, during a divorce it can cause divorce to become more difficult. It can also result in bitterness towards your ex-spouse. For those who are facing a divorce, Wendy Norman has been working in family law, including divorce, for many years in Jacksonville, Florida. As an attorney who has seen the ramifications of social media on divorces, she can best advise you on how to use social media while getting your divorce.

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