How Social Media is Impacting your Divorce

Going through a divorce or thinking about filing? Social media and other forms of online communication could play a larger role than you may realize. Social media is all around us. Sharing endearing photos of loved ones, kids, pets, and special occasions is a routine of life these days. It is also just as easy to use social media as a tool to vent frustrations or look for advice. This can create special problems for couples going through a divorce, thinking about filing for one, or even divorced spouses who already have parental plans or Support Orders in place.

In a divorce case, sharing personal information or life updates on social media can create evidence that can be used against one or both parties in Court. This can have the potential to affect alimony, child support, child custody, and other issues down the road. Social media reveals what people are doing, where they are doing it, and when it is happening. It also has the potential to create unnecessary drama and tension.

Hypothetically, if someone once claimed in Court that he or she did not have a job, yet posted about their job online, on a platform like LinkedIn, and their spouse saw it and brings it to a lawyer’s attention, the request for alimony or child support could be denied. Posting about an expensive purchase or vacation could also be used against you in Court. If someone claims a low income to avoid high alimony or child support payments, he/she could face unfortunate consequences. Even when a spouse is blocked, the spouse can still often see what friends are posting. This evidence can be used to prove that you or your estranged spouse is not being honest with finances.

For these reasons, those going through a separation should be advised to keep all written communication including emails, and text messages free of sensitive information. If you wouldn’t want a judge or opposing counsel reading it, don’t write it anywhere. The best thing to do during any portion of a divorce case is to simply stop using it.

If you are going through a divorce, you can be sure that your spouse is looking at your social media. But you can protect yourself by staying away from all of your social media related accounts until the divorce is finalized. If staying away is not attainable, stay mindful and minimize use as to not turn your amicable divorce into a tense battle.

Elissa C. Goldberg witnesses daily the repercussions social media has on divorce cases. If you have questions or would like more information on how social media is impacting your divorce, call her office today at 215-345-5259 to schedule a first free consult.

– Siena Cerra for Elissa C. Goldberg, Esquire

Law Office of Elissa C. Goldberg
107 North Broad Street, Suite 211
Doylestown, PA 18901