Boston Divorce Attorney
Helping You Understand How Social Media Like Facebook Can Hurt You During Your Divorce
People share information on social media that just didn't get shared a few years ago. Similarly, people can now closely follow the goings-ons of friends, family members and even exes through social media, whereas before they couldn't.
We're all adjusting to the new realities of Facebook, Twitter and dating websites, so it makes sense that divorcing individuals sometimes overdo it a bit regarding social media. The fact is that sharing too much information or the wrong information online can have a negative effect on your child custody, property division and other family law rights. For instance:
- Are you divorcing and do you have a new girlfriend or boyfriend? Posting pictures of a new partner and posting inappropriate "party" photos can be upsetting to your kids, especially older kids. Photos of high-cost activities with a new girlfriend or boyfriend can also cause problems when it comes to determining alimony and the fair division of property. The courts can take social media photos into consideration when making custody decisions.
- Are you using a dating website during your divorce? A common practice is to "puff" income figures a bit on these sites. I have seen inflated income figures from dating websites used in property division and alimony disputes.
The bottom line is that divorce is difficult and stressful enough for kids, and they should be shielded from chirpy news and updates regarding parents' new partners. Likewise, it's smart to not make inflated income and asset statements official by putting them in writing anywhere. At the least, it can make a spouse angry, and angry spouse can guarantee an expensive and time-consuming divorce process. At worst, oversharing on social media can give the family law courts a reason to make decisions that are not in your best interests.
I am Massachusetts family law lawyer Annette Baker Doolin, and I can help you navigate the pitfalls of dating while divorcing. For more information, please contact me.
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