Social media is part of everyday life for many Americans. When it comes to Facebook, according to the Pew Research Center, roughly 70% of adults in the United States use the service routinely. Whether you post every day or only use the social networking tool to keep tabs on friends and family members, you must be careful during your divorce.
Divorce can be both stressful and painful. While some emotions related to dissolving your marriage are impossible to circumvent, you can avoid making your situation worse. Before you make personal Facebook posts about your marriage or divorce, you may want to think twice.
Posts May Make Compromise Difficult
There is often much on which to disagree when divorcing a spouse. While you may wonder what happens to your children, your home or your investment portfolio, you likely want as much certainty as possible. You also want to be sure you receive your fair share of marital assets. If you post hurtful messages about your spouse to your Facebook wall, your partner may be less willing to negotiate a settlement regarding the things that matter most to you.
Posts May Cause You Embarrassment
There is an old rule about responding to anyone when upset or hurt. Specifically, experience indicates that you should wait until you cool down and think rationally before commenting. The same rule applies to Facebook posts. While it may be tempting to type out a biting rant about your spouse, doing so may cause you embarrassment. That is, your spouse’s lawyer may bring copies of everything you post to give to the judge.
Posts May Cost You Financially
Individuals often use their Facebook accounts to show how happy and successful they are. When trying to avoid spousal support, though, showing off online may be a big mistake. That is, you may seem like you have more wealth than your bank account indicates. Accordingly, you may want to keep comments about new cars, fancy clothes, exotic vacations and other lavish spending to a minimum.
Some social media experts believe in instituting a Facebook moratorium until your divorce concludes. You may not have to leave the platform altogether, though. By rethinking how you use Facebook during the dissolution of your marriage, you can likely better position yourself for an acceptable outcome.