Online Conduct: How to Deal with Your Divorce in the Digital Age

 Posted on January 31, 2019 in Divorce

Divorce is difficult no matter the circumstances. While divorce may have been legally difficult in the past due to societal values, divorce in the digital age can prove just as troublesome. Social media can become a face-less platform for one to publicly or privately vent about their marriage difficulties or impending divorce based on their account privacy settings. Whether your account settings are placed on private or not does not necessarily mean you are fully protected from your spouse or their attorney discovering your posts.

Privacy Protection

Switching your profile from public to private does not guarantee that your social media posts will not make it into your divorce proceedings. Use the following tips to better protect yourself in the digital age:

1. Change your passwords often: Many use similar passwords for all of their accounts because they are easy to remember. Though this tactic may make logins easier for the account’s owner, it also makes it easier for others to hack into their account, especially those who are close to them. Changing passwords frequently is an easy way to block intruders from hacking into bank accounts, emails, and social media platforms.

2. Look at your security settings: Though making your account private does not guarantee complete safety, it is a step in the right direction. Onlookers can misconstrue comments and posts for their advantage even if you believe that your social media is “clean” for others to look at.

3. Watch your words: Email communication may not be as commonplace; however, it can still lead to your downfall in court. A judge can request email history for evidence, making anything you have said through the online forum public to your spouse.

4. Look back at your history: The beauty and curse of social media and other digital platforms are that everything is saved. It is a good idea to look back on your social media posts, comments, and likes to avoid something from three years ago coming back to bite you in court. Delete anything that paints you in a bad light.

5. Think before you post: While it can be tempting to vent your problems online, this is never a good idea when it comes to divorce. Questionable posts can be recovered even after being deleted. If you have to think twice before posting, do not post it.

Contact a Kane County Divorce Attorney for Help

Divorce can often become messy between spouses, leading to information that you wanted to remain private becoming public for one spouse’s benefit. If you believe that your spouse has questionable content online or that they may use your digital footprint against you, contact an experienced St. Charles, IL divorce attorney for legal assistance. Call Shaw Sanders, P.C. at 630-584-5550 for a free consultation.

Source:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jefflanders/2013/08/20/how-social-media-can-affect-your-divorce/#2532125a35a3