Divorce in the Social Media Age

Divorces are often stressful, conflict filled events. Add technology such as cellphones and social media into the mix and divorce can be downright troublesome. Many people are not aware that what they say or do online can affect life outside the virtual world, especially during legal dispute such as divorce. Here are some helpful tips on what you should avoid doing online during a divorce.

1. Remember that anything you put on Facebook or other social media sites is public and can therefore end up in anyone's hands, even if you enable a "Friends Only" privacy setting. You don't want to look bad in a courtroom when the opposing attorney brings up your not-so-amicable Facebook statuses. You should never share anything on social media that you wouldn't want brought up in a courtroom.

2. Don't forget to change your passwords. Attorneys always advise getting rid of any shared bank accounts or credit cards during your first divorce consultation, but often forget to advise their clients to change their social media passwords. In such an emotionally charged time, one spouse may log into the social media accounts of the other and not only "hack" the account by posting unflattering statuses or comments but read private messages. You should also think about how you plan on separating things like cell phone service accounts. These contracts can often be expensive to break, so try to plan for the financial hit.

3. Remember that your soon-to-be-ex may also post unflattering things online. Facebook, Twitter and/or other social media updates can and have be used as evidence that a particular person is lying to the court. There have been countless divorce cases where one partner tries to hide certain assets or income from the court in order to look financially destitute when he or she isn't. If your soon-to-be-ex is claiming unemployment while uploading pictures of brand new vehicles to Facebook, you can submit that evidence into court.

4. Texts and e-mails are also admissible as evidence. Use caution when sending your soon-to-be-ex or even mutual friends texts or emails about things pertaining to your divorce. Remember, almost anything you write can be used in court.

If you keep these tips in mind, you will be able to avoid unnecessary stress during the divorce process. Remember, if you have any questions or concerns during the divorce process, you should consult with your lawyer before you take any action.