Most people in Fort Bend County like to use their social media accounts to share photographs of their children, fancy meals, holiday decorations, and exotic vacations — in other words, to portray themselves and their families in the best possible light. But reality and what you see on Facebook are not often the same thing.
This is especially true when someone gets divorced. Until recently, their social media accounts might have made it seem like they and their spouse were leading a fairytale life together. Of course, their photos, videos, and messages carefully edited out the problems in their marriage. Now that the marriage is ending, the spouses may use their social media to vent about each other’s faults, blame each other for the situation, or show how well they are moving on.
If you are going through a divorce, you should be careful about what you post on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and other social media apps. Anything you post can potentially be used against you in settlement negotiations and possibly in court.
Hurting your case by revealing too much
Money can be a big issue in your divorce, but take care of what you say about it online. For example, if you are asking for spousal maintenance because you lack the means to support yourself financially, or if you are claiming you cannot afford to pay alimony, it is not a good idea to post photos of yourself posing with your new pickup truck. That can imply that you are being dishonest about your financial resources.
Likewise, posts about your children can be seen as exploitative. A general rule of thumb is, don’t post anything online that you would not want to be brought up at a mediation session, arbitration hearing, or courtroom trial.
Talk to your divorce lawyer
If you have questions about what you should and should not do on your social media accounts while your divorce is ongoing, consult your divorce attorney. Their advice should help you continue to enjoy going online without causing problems for your case.