“According to a February 2010 survey of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), 81 percent of divorce attorneys said they have seen an increase in the number of cases using social networking evidence during the past five years. Facebook is the unrivaled leader for online divorce evidence with 66 percent citing it as the primary source. MySpace and Twitter were a distant second and third, at 15 percent and 5 percent.”*
I’ve Blogged many times on being careful what you say and expose on Social Media. Its amazed me how people think that Social Media is a place that is above the law in being able to do whatever you want and the thought is incredibly naive. We are an increasingly litigious society. What you are posting on Facebook, Twitter and Social Media can be a record that can be held against you in Courts, over a Divorce or Child Custody Battles. With an over 50% divorce rate and the highest ever, of 1/3 of Americans unmarried, its probably not a matter of happening, but when.
I recently witnessed a friend’s Facebook posts dragged through a custody battle. While the posts were mundane chatter, the Attorney tried to spin them into salacious matter in character assassination.
Many Lawyers are now advising their clients erase their Facebook and Social Media accounts. If your spouse is planning to divorce you, you may already have an Attorney taking notes and inspecting your pictures. Depending on the State you live in and the laws regarding separation or child custody can affect you.
I’ve known many people whose ex’s routinely (sometimes yearly), seek an increase in their spousal or child support when they discover their ex is making more money. The photos and information you post on Social Media showing your wealth, vacations, etc. may expose you to these types of court hearings.
In the end be careful what you share and post. In American Society, what you say or do, can be held against you in a Court of Law.
*Source: facebook-opens-up-can-of-worms-in-family-law
Source: facebook-becoming-main-source-of-evidence-for-divorce-lawyers-2010-11
It is amazing how many people feel that they can get away with doing and saying what ever they want online, in videos, text msgs, and in pictures. The access we have to the world because of all of these avenues of communication leaves a lot of folks with a “rock star” status feeling and they seem to get caught up. I hope people take heed to your post and be more mindful of what they put out there because it sure can come back to haunt you. Enjoyed the article! Thank you!
Great point, Chris. We are all becoming more aware of how our media usage can come back to haunt our job search or ongoing employment. But the possibility of divorce and how this would look in court is a whole different mirror for considering the record we are leaving for all to see.