Social media and divorce are not compatible. Social media is a part of our daily life. When going through a divorce there are many things to think about, and one of those is how you are going to manage the emotions, frustrations and anger you are experiencing. Unfortunately, many people use social media as a way to express themselves and let out some of their frustrations. Social media does have an impact on divorce in Georgia - and it's often a negative effect. Social media can be used as evidence in a Georgia divorce case; it can impact the outcome of important issues such as child custody, spousal support and asset division. You should assume that everything you say and do on social media will end up in your divorce proceedings. In Georgia, the spouses are almost always required to provide the other side with a printout of all of their social media activities and a list of their friends. This can have huge implications on your divorce.
Unfortunately, statistics show that social media issues are often a factor in divorce, negatively correlating with the quality and happiness of a marriage. This means the more people tend to engage with others on social media, the more their romantic relationships seem to suffer. In fact, 1/3 of divorces list social media as a contributor to their divorce. When you’re trying to keep your marriage intact this is extremely important, but it’s also important after you’ve decided your relationship is over. The American Association of Matrimonial Lawyers says a large majority of U.S. divorce attorneys – over 80% – say social media has a growing role in divorce cases.
The most important guideline is to make sure that you never post anything on your social media pages that you wouldn’t want the general public to know and that you wouldn’t want someone to bring up in court. You might think you’re only posting to your friends or your family, but social media has a much wider reach than you might think and you never know who might see it.
What should you do - and not do - on social media if you're getting a divorce? Don't assume you can post and then delete questionable posts - social media screenshots are common as we've all seen in the gossip columns, there are many ways to "mine" social media data to recover deleted posts. Here are some tips on social media if you're going through a divorce.
1. Don't Display Your Assets
You don’t want to provide proof of all your assets on social media and you don’t want to post photos of expensive cars, clothes, property, jewelry, vacations and other valuable assets or an expensive lifestyle. These posts are relevant to your divorce and you want to be sure that you don’t create a problem for yourself when it comes to child support and division of assets.
2. Don't Check In
Don't check-in to different locations on social media. When you share a location such as a bar, a casino or some location that your ex-spouse might not approve of, that location could be used against you during your divorce.
3. Avoid Dating Sites
Stay off dating sites until your divorce is complete, and be very careful about anything you post regarding dating on your social media. You don’t want to give your ex-partner any ammunition to use against you in the proceedings or create bad will.
4. No Online Fighting
We’ve all seen people who like to air their 'dirty laundry' in public and it’s definitely not something that you should do. All of the things that you say on social media and the online fights you get into with your ex-partner and their family and friends will make you look just as bad (or worse) as they are, which can come out during divorce negotiations.
5. Don't Discuss Child Custody Arrangements
Don’t talk about your custody agreement or try to work out a custody agreement on your social media. These are important conversations and you absolutely need to handle them with care.
6. Limit Photo Sharing
Always be careful when posting photos on social media. When you’re going through a divorce this is even more important so there is nothing in those photos that can be used against you. Be careful when you are tagged in someone else's photos, or if someone posts a photo of you that could cause problems during your divorce.
7. Implement Password Protection
If your former partner knows your passwords, you should change them so they can not access your social media accounts. Keep your new passwords protected and make sure that you are the only one who can get into the account.
8. Close Joint Social Media Accounts
If you and your partner have any joint social media accounts you want to remove yourself or your ex-partner immediately.
9. Don't Divorce and Text
While not actually social media, texting and divorcing don't mix. Your ex-spouse can easily share questionable texts with their attorney, and contentious or questionable texts can be used as part of your divorce.
10. Choose Your Friends Carefully
If you are friends with a lady of the evening, it may not look good for your divorce.
During your divorce, behave as if anything you say, post or do on social media (and in real life) will become part of your divorce proceedings. Social media can be manipulated and used against you during a divorce. It's smart to take precautions by limiting what you post online during your divorce and securing your passwords. While navigating your divorce, you want to make sure you’re doing it in the smartest way possible. And using social media cautiously during your divorce is extremely important. Don’t let must-have technology get the better of you or cause problems for your divorce outcome.
Divorce can be a contentious and emotional issue - and bad social media decisions can make it worse. Attorney Sharon Jackson understands your need for proper representation and advice in a divorce proceeding. Our divorce and family law team can help you understand all your options and ensure that your rights and interests are protected.
Contact us today at (678) 436-3636 to schedule a consultation and answer your questions about social media and divorce.
Attorney Sharon Jackson LLC
175 Langley Drive, Suite A1
Lawrenceville, GA 30046
Phone: (678) 909-4100
