Why You Should Be Careful On Social Media When You’re Getting a Divorce

Written by Anthony Piccirilli

Social media like Facebook and Instagram is a good way to stay in contact with friends and loved ones. We often post detailed information about our lives on these platforms. However, that can have a negative influence on your divorce if you post compromising things that impact your case.

When we sit down with clients, we give them solid advice about how to manage their lives and social media through a divorce. It can be difficult knowing how much information to post. Call Pittsburgh Divorce & Family Law, LLC at (412) 471-5100 for a partner to stand by your side throughout this process. You can also reach us via our online contact form.

Your Ex May Be Monitoring Your Posts

Even if you unfriend and block your ex, other people may be relaying information to them. If you start dating someone new or spend significant money on a vacation away – possibly out of a joint account – then they might find out. During a divorce, you should post things with the expectation that the information will get back to your spouse.

If you say anything negative about your ex, they may take the issue to the court and challenge you trying to ruin their reputation. They may also say you are saying negative things about them to your children and use social media posts as proof. Don’t make bad posts about your spouse, as they will have hard evidence of your actions.

The Court May Request Information You’ve Posted on Social Media

If you have made posts about your personal life or about your ex on social media that serve as evidence in your divorce, the court may request that information. They can subpoena posts that you’ve made and we will have to provide them past posts from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, or any other platform you’ve used.

For example, if you post that you’re going on an expensive cruise to celebrate your divorce, the court may use that as evidence that you are hiding assets. When you’re in the middle of a divorce, you have to reveal all financial accounts to the court and often those will be split between spouses. Posting about your finances on social media can lead to questions in your divorce case.

5 Things To Avoid Posting on Social Media If You’re Getting a Divorce

If you’re getting a divorce, every area of your life will be scrutinized. You should avoid posting the following things until after your divorce is complete. Even then, if you have children with your ex or are getting alimony, you may want to further avoid posting extremely personal things.

• Don’t post about your finances or anything that can be interpreted as financial information.
• Don’t post significant details about new relationships, such as the beginning of a new relationship that starts before your divorce is complete.
• Don’t post negative things about your ex, even if they are taking actions against you.
• Don’t post details about your divorce case and hearings, such as who is at-fault, when hearings will take place, etc.
• Don’t post negative things about your ex’s friends and family, even if they are posting about you.

Contact a Divorce Lawyer Today With Questions

It can be difficult to know what is safe to post on social media during a divorce. It may seem unfair that your ex and their friends and family members are posting about you, but you shouldn’t post about them. In the long run, it will work out to your benefit if you follow the above-mentioned guidelines.

Call Pittsburgh Divorce & Family Law, LLC today at (412) 471-5100 for more information about your divorce case.