If you are going through divorce, it is wise to keep your personal life to yourself rather than blasting it on Facebook and other social networking sites. Some of the information you share with others may keep you from getting child custody or any assets you want during the divorce. In fact, Facebook has been known to be a cause of divorce since it allows people to get in touch with exes or new, attractive strangers. Therefore, you should learn how to treat social media sites during divorce.
Be Careful About the Information You Share
If you are trying to get custody of your kids, you may be working against yourself when you post status updates that exclaim how much you drank or smoked over the weekend. Since judges want to place children in a home that is safe and in their best interests, you need to show that you can create that kind of environment. Even if you are only doing unsavory things in your free time, when the kids are not with you, your former spouse can try to use your status updates against you.
The same goes for the information you post in regards to your occupation. If your profile says you are employed, yet you have told your former spouse and the judge that you have no job, you may look like you are lying. If an investigation is launched and it turns out you do indeed have a job, you may have to pay the alimony you were trying to avoid. Not only is this costly, but it also looks bad for you.
Be Discerning About Your Photos
Similarly, if you are trying to gain custody of your kids, having photos of the wild parties at your house last weekend will not help you. Pictures online might not singlehandedly lose your case, but this does give your ex leverage. Avoid helping his or her case, and just stick to photos that you would be okay with the judge seeing when deciding on custody matters.
Never Assume Your Profile Is Private
If you think your profile is safe from the eyes of your ex because it is set to private, think again. First of all, even if your ex is not on your friend’s list, you probably have mutual friends who will report back to him or her. You never know who is on your side, or secretly hoping you lose custody, alimony, or all your assets. Don’t offer anyone leverage that can work against you.
In addition, your ex might know your password if you have not changed it in years. Even if you have, he or she probably knows the answers to security questions and could therefore easily get the password or even come up with it on his or her own. Of course, it may be hard for your ex to prove what he or she saw when the method used was technically illegal, but again, you do not want to freely give anyone information that could somehow be used against you.
Manhattan Divorce Attorneys
If you are concerned about what your Facebook profile says about you, it is time to look at it through the eyes of a judge. If you are worried the damage is already done, you need to speak to a New York divorce lawyer. Contact Brian D. Perskin & Associates P.C. at 646-791-3228 or 718-875-7584 if you need help when going through divorce.