In this age of technology, it is not unusual for individuals of all ages to have social media accounts. California residents may utilize these accounts to share information about joyous or even upsetting times in their lives as well as post updates about vacations or other trips that may be taken. However, if individuals are going through a divorce, posting on social media could cause serious family law issues.
As mentioned, many individuals may post photos or other information about taking trips. If those trips are lavish vacations, the posts made on social media could potentially be called into question during divorce proceedings. This type of evidence may be particularly harmful if individuals are requesting additional alimony, child support or other financial assistance from an ex-spouse. If individuals appear to have the financial ability to take expensive vacations, they may be considered ineligible for increased support.
Additionally, posts may be taken out of context after being posted online. As a result, individuals could potentially be painted in a negative light during divorce proceedings if they have vented or made negative posts on their social media. Similarly, these posts could impact child custody proceedings if one parent believes the other is unfit for custody due to social media posts.
Many California residents likely want to have a smooth divorce, and it may be difficult to keep from sharing life-aspects on social media. However, by taking a social media hiatus, individuals may be less apt to unknowingly provide incriminating evidence against themselves and create potential family law issues. If individuals would like more information on how such posts could possibly be used in divorce proceedings, discussing the matter with an experienced attorney may be useful.
Source: The Huffington Post, “Social Media + Divorce = Danger Ahead!“, Deanna Conklin-Danao