Can My Social Media Accounts Be Used in a Divorce?

 Posted on June 10, 2024 in Divorce

In today’s world, many people use social media to update their families and friends on their lives, including updating their relationship status. However, when you put too much personal information on your social media accounts, including details about your divorce or criticisms of your ex, it might affect your divorce.

A skilled Illinois divorce lawyer will help you further understand the impact of social media on your divorce.

Will My Ex Use My Social Media Accounts as Evidence?

While there is no guarantee that your ex will use your social media accounts as evidence during your divorce, it is always a good idea to keep this potential in mind. If your ex and his or her legal counsel scour your social media pages for evidence, you will want to ensure that you are not posting anything that could potentially give you issues further along in your divorce case.

During your divorce, you should refrain from doing the following on social media:

• Posting controversial topics or statements that could impact your credibility
• Speaking to others about your divorce or providing updates about your divorce online
• Messaging others and attempting to hide your assets, as this can violate financial disclosure laws and land you in serious trouble
• Uploading videos of your purchases, extravagant daily life, or how you interact with your soon-to-be-ex
• Posting anything that could potentially show you engaging in illegal activities

When it comes to your divorce and social media, the best idea is to keep things as private as possible and refrain from posting anything about the divorce process.

How Can Social Media Use Impact My Divorce?

Most people are comfortable putting photographs or videos online showing their daily habits, the products they purchase, and even their conversations with other people. They may also show their interactions with their partners or videos of how they treat their children. However, any of these items may be used as evidence in a divorce case, especially if the things posted online conflict with claims made during the divorce.

In general, social media has the potential to impact the following areas of your divorce:

• Child support decisions
• Spousal support decisions
• Property and asset division
• Parenting time

For example, if one spouse claims to be suffering from financial hardship and then posts pictures or videos of her latest designer clothing haul, this may impact her eligibility for spousal support.

Additionally, if one spouse is alleging that the other spouse is unfit for child custody, she may cite photographs or statements from her ex’s social media accounts showing them engaging in substance abuse or other illegal activities.

Contact a St. Charles, IL Divorce Lawyer

Divorce is stressful, especially if you think there is a chance your social media accounts may be involved in your divorce case. Reach out to a Kane County, IL divorce attorney today for guidance on the next steps in your divorce. Our attorneys have significant family law experience, and we can provide you with the dedicated and compassionate representation you need.

Contact Shaw Sanders, P.C. at 630-584-5550 for a free consultation.