Why Should I Be Careful about Social Media Usage Before Divorce?

 Posted on October 27, 2023 in Divorce

Social media is unquestionably a fact of life these days. People use social networks to connect with geographically distant friends and family, share milestones and view those of their friends, meet potential romantic interests, do some professional networking or collaboration, and a ton of other things. But be warned: anything you post online can be seen by anyone else who tries hard enough, which could affect your divorce. Suppose you are considering divorce and are concerned your social media conduct might influence your divorce settlement. In that case, you should speak with a knowledgeable Kane County, IL divorce attorney who can answer your questions and advise you on moving forward.

How Can Social Media Impact My Divorce Settlement?

Unfortunately, some people are willing to do anything they can to get the settlement they want, including lying and deceiving. They may try to paint the picture of an unfaithful spouse, someone lying about their actual wealth so they can seem eligible for receiving alimony payments or at least not be required to pay to the other spouse, someone unfit to care for children, and more. But with the ever-increasing popularity of social networks, people are constantly posting pictures online for the world to see. This means it is now much easier than it ever used to be to try to gather evidence of claims against someone. With easy access to personal information about other people, the claims have the potential to influence decisions in a divorce settlement. For example:

• If one parent is claiming they are very responsible in an attempt to get a favorable custody arrangement, but then there are pictures of them online doing questionable things or showing poor judgment, irresponsibility, or negligence, this could ultimately impact the division of parental responsibilities.
• One spouse might be in financial trouble, but if they post pictures of themselves wearing luxury clothing with designer accessories, even if these are things they purchased in the past, it might convince a judge that alimony is unnecessary.
• Even if someone is extremely careful about the pictures they post, they might appear in an image that someone else has posted, and if they are not tagged in the picture, they might never know about it. If the picture depicts them in a negative light, this could affect whatever decisions are made about the divorce. With advanced imaging search functions available, it would not be very difficult for someone to get their hands on such a picture.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Kane County, IL Divorce Attorney

If you wonder whether your social media usage might put your interests at risk in divorce, an experienced St. Charles, IL divorce lawyer can help clear up some confusion and set you on the right path to protect your rights. Call Goostree Law Group at 630-584-4800 to schedule a free consultation.