5 things to know about social media use during a divorce case

Going through a divorce is incredibly stressful and emotional. It can be tempting to use social media as an outlet for the insecurity and frustration you’re feeling, but posting on social media sites during a divorce case may actually hurt you in the long run.

Social media can be used as evidence in a divorce case. And this doesn’t only apply to Facebook. Posts from any social media site, including business sites like LinkedIn, can be used.

Here are 5 important things you should know:

1. Social media can be used to prove where you were and who you have been talking to.

Through social media, it’s possible to prove where you were on a given date and time, who you have been in communication with and any actions/activities you’ve been participating in. This can be proven through photos that were uploaded or any written posts, such as status updates, about what you’re doing or where you are.

Evidence on social media of purchases you’ve made or ways you’ve been using your money could be incredibly detrimental if child support is involved. Any posts about how you use your money could harm your credibility to take care of your child.

2. Once something is on the Internet, it’s never truly gone.

It’s important to keep in mind that anything publicly shared on the Internet is accessible to everyone. Even if you delete a post, it has most likely been seen by many people already, and that information could easily be copied or documented somewhere else. If you are concerned that your social media could be used against you, deleting posts is not going to ensure that information is private.

3. Do not post new information on your social media platforms during a divorce case.

While any existing or past posts on your social media page could be used in a divorce case, it’s important to not make new posts during the case period either. Because deleting posts doesn’t ensure that the information is gone, it is wise to avoid making social media posts during this time, despite the stressful situation. You won’t be able to take back that info later.

4. Posts about you on your friends’ pages could be used.

While you have control over what you’re posting to your own page, it is also a good idea to make sure your friends do not share information about you during your divorce case either. If a friend makes a post containing information about you, it should be removed as soon as possible.

5. The safest way to avoid social media evidence is to temporarily deactivate your accounts.

If you want the safest bet for not revealing too much evidence/information on your social media, it’s a good idea to deactivate your accounts while the divorce case is going on. Keep in mind: even if you block someone from being able to see your content, that doesn’t stop your posts from being available and on record on the site itself. Even posts that are only visible to friends are still publicly shared and could be used as evidence.