Social media is a big part of how we connect with the people we love, document our fond memories, and share our thoughts. And thus, it’s easy for it to be a part of everything you are going through, including your divorce. However, social media can significantly impact the outcome of your separation.
Alaska divorce courts judgment and social media posts
In Alaska, the court can consider anything that is relevant to the case when making a determination about custody, visitation, and support. This includes social media posts. If there are posts that show you in a bad light, it could hurt your chances of getting what you want in the divorce. For example, if you are trying to get full custody of your children, but there are photos of you partying or using drugs on social media, the court may use those against you.
Also, if you are having a fault-based divorce, your partner’s attorney can dig through your posts to find evidence that can affect property division. For example, if you used your money to fund an affair, and somehow a picture of you and that person is found online, your spouse can use it against you to get a larger share of the marital assets.
Protecting yourself
The best thing to do is limit your social media activity during the divorce process. If you absolutely must post something, ensure it is positive and will not be used against you in court. You should also avoid talking about the divorce or your ex on social media. If there are things you need to vent about, talk to a friend or therapist offline instead.
Additionally, if you are planning on using social media to document any wrongdoing on your ex’s part, be very careful about how you do it. If you make false accusations or deliberately take posts out of context, it could backfire and make you look bad in front of the judge.
Divorce is hard enough without having to worry about social media posts coming back to haunt you. Putting forth a positive persona on social media can actually be beneficial because it can help you focus on the good things in your life.