How Social Media Can Affect a Divorce

While social media brings the world closer together, it also causes its fair share of problems. The debate on whether social media is more helpful than it is hurtful has been years in the making. In addition to the known negative impact of social media, there is yet another reason to limit our social media intake and output when going through a divorce. 

When going through a divorce, it's easy for someone to want to go online and slander their ex-spouse or post about the ongoing divorce process. While it's important to communicate your emotions while going through a divorce, it's even more important to do so in a manner that does not disadvantage your case. Posting anything negative, or anything at all for that matter, about your divorce, can come back and negatively affect your desired outcome. 

Social Media Content that Could Hurt Your Divorce

Social media posts, while seemingly harmless, can affect your divorce case. Make sure that you're being careful about what you’re posting, whether it be about your spouse, ex-spouse, your children, or even your travels, employment, or income. It is extremely important during the divorce process that you keep this in mind. Types of social media posts that can ruin the success of your divorce case include:

• Relationship Updates

Photos with your new partner on vacation may raise questions or doubts about your willingness to focus on your children’s future. And while you might not have meant for anything to be negatively construed from a post with your new partner, it's important to remember that anything you're posting on social media is likely to  be taken out of context. 

• Posts Revealing Your Current Financial Status

A photo of a vacation or weekend trip with your friends could give a false impression that you can afford expensive vacations. Subsequently, posting pictures of your new purchases can potentially be used as evidence of financial carelessness. Additionally, posting about your wealth and your spending of it could also indicate that you're trying to reduce your assets ahead of the divorce case.

• Disparaging Comments

When going through a divorce, there is always that temptation to post negative comments about your soon-to-be ex-partner. Before publicly making those comments, it's important to know that how you and your spouse relate to each other, particularly if you share children, can significantly impact your divorce and/or custody proceedings. Any hostile or slanderous comment about your spouse can be used against you during divorce proceedings.

• Threats or Jokes about Hiding Your Assets

Especially while going through a divorce, it's always best to hold off on posting things that relate to your assets. Making threats or even jokes about hiding assets can lead to a judge proposing to investigate your financial status further.

Using Social Media Wisely During Your Divorce

Avoid posting updates or comments regarding your divorce case. In addition, avoid posting any information about your whereabouts or images that reveal anything about your romantic life.

Not only social media posts can affect your divorce case, but also private messages. Emails, text messages, direct messages, screenshots of text messages, etc. can also be used to dismiss or support claims presented in court. 

Contact a Cincinnati Divorce Attorney

While being careful about what you post during the divorce process is very important, it's equally important that you seek legal counsel if you've just separated from your spouse. 

At Wagner & Bloch, we will provide the legal advice, representation, and support you need during your divorce case. Get in touch with us today to schedule a consultation with a Cincinnati divorce attorney.