How Social Media Can Affect Your Divorce Case in Kansas City

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram help us stay in touch with family and friends around the world, but it’s possible to share too much information. It’s especially important to watch what you post on social media during a Kansas City divorce, as your comments, photos, and other posts could hurt your case if you’re not careful.

At the Colgan Law Firm, LLC, our Kansas City, KS divorce lawyers have seen how seemingly harmless social media posts have come back to haunt people. We want to help you reach the best possible outcome in your divorce, and social media can play a surprisingly large role in these proceedings. Below you’ll find information on how social media can affect your family law case and tips on using social media safely while your case is ongoing.

Negative Effects of Social Media on a Wyandotte County Divorce

We know many people turn to social media for support during a divorce, but in many cases, the harm from social media outweighs the benefits. We recommend that everyone stay off social media entirely until their divorce concludes to help avoid these potential adverse effects:

• Damage to others’ perception of you – Going through a divorce can be frustrating, particularly if you and your spouse were already on bad terms before filing for divorce. But no matter how angry you feel, you can’t display that anger publicly. Angry posts or comments on social media can give your spouse ammunition to use against you over issues like the division of shared property, child custody, child support, and alimony. Anger could look like instability or suggest a willingness to hide assets or “get even.”
• Evidence of infidelity – Posts, photos, and messages on social media platforms can make for compelling evidence of an affair, which can create all kinds of headaches during divorce proceedings.
• Evidence of hidden assets – If one spouse suspects the other spouse is hiding certain assets during a divorce, they might use photos or other social media evidence to prove the other spouse is not being truthful. In turn, this evidence can impact how a couple (or the court) splits their shared property.

Tips for Using Social Media During a Kansas City, KS, Divorce

Although staying off social media is best, if you want to use social media during a divorce, keep the following tips in mind:

• Be extremely careful about what you post – Don’t say anything negative about your spouse, don’t make any posts or share pictures of a new romantic partner, and keep your children out of any posts you make. Any of these actions could adversely affect your divorce.
• Don’t make a solo announcement about the divorce – Getting divorced is a big deal, and we understand that you want to let your friends and family know what’s happening in your life. However, a solo post announcing your divorce is rarely a good idea. No matter how careful you are about what you say, you might inadvertently post something in error or that you later regret.
• Change your passwords – If your spouse knows your passwords to your social media accounts, change those passwords immediately. You don’t want your spouse going through your posts to find evidence against you.
• Turn off your GPS tracking on your phone and social media apps – You might be surprised at what your spouse can learn from GPS tracking data. To protect your privacy and reputation, turn off any location-tracking features on your phone and social media platforms.

Let Our Compassionate and Experienced Attorneys Help You Through Your Divorce

Managing your social media accounts during a divorce is just one part of a complex process. Don’t try to handle all the different aspects of a divorce on your own. The caring and knowledgeable attorneys at Colgan Law Firm can provide guidance on proper social media use and help your Kansas divorce go as smoothly as possible. Call 913-721-9999 or reach out online for your free consultation.