Stay Off Facebook, Twitter, Social Media During Your Tennessee Divorce

It’s no secret that our lives are heavily dominated by the Internet and social networking websites, in particular. However, our social lives aren’t the only things affected by this phenomenon – if you are going through a divorce in Memphis, Tennessee, you may find the details of your online life offline in the court room.

According to a recent study by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, more than 80% of divorce lawyers said that the divorce cases they handle have used evidence and information from social networking websites in increasing numbers since 2006.

Going through a divorce case can be a highly-emotional time and the involved parties may turn to sites like Facebook and Twitter to vent their frustrations. However, this behavior may end up hurting their case in the end. On the other hand, information posted that may seem harmless can be taken out of context by a savvy divorce attorney to ruin you. So what can you do? There are steps and precautions recommended for the use of social sites and the Internet when entangled in a legal battle. 

What should I keep in mind when using social sites during my divorce case?

Think Before You Post – Before you hit that “post” button ask yourself, “Can this update or comment be taken out of context or paint me in bad light?” If you have any inkling of doubt – don’t do it! Emotionally charged posts or comments will only exacerbate an already tense situation.

Bump up Your Privacy Settings – It’s a good idea to limit access to your posts, photos and information to only trusted friends and family members. “De-friend” your ex, their family or any other parties that could be monitoring your profiles for salacious material.

What are the DON’T’s of using social sites during my divorce case?

• DON’T post anything you wouldn’t want your ex-spouse or their lawyer to see.
• DON’T reveal your location in your posts or photos and turn off “geolocation” features on your profile.
• DON’T accept friend requests from people you don’t know.
• DON’T use the computer or your smart phone when you are in an emotional state.
• DON’T let your kids use social sites unsupervised during this time either. The information they post can be used against you too! 

If you believe you may be prone to post emotional updates or are afraid that your privacy settings are not enough to keep out prying eyes, you should consider deleting your profiles or suspend your activity on them until your case has been resolved.

While we recognize that you may already have given up a lot as a result of your marriage ending, it is important to remember that what is posted on the Internet can be spread quickly and will be stored somewhere forever. Be patient and follow the advice of your divorce attorney. 

Get More Tips – Contact a Memphis Divorce Attorney Today

If you do not yet have legal representation for your divorce case, contact a Memphis divorce attorney at the Miles Mason Family Law Group. We will always look out for your best interests and offer you guidance throughout the entire divorce process. 

Divorce is never easy, but you can ease the legal burden with help from a law professional. Our legal staff will fight to ensure your spousal and/or parental rights are upheld as they relate to your divorce case. This includes issues relating to child support, child custody, alimony and property division.