Many people turn to social media for venting or support, but during a child custody dispute, it may be best to avoid it altogether. With courts examining parent’s social media presence as evidence for child custody decisions, it’s crucial to keep a clean profile.
Social Media and Child Custody
Social media is a part of our daily life. We go there to connect with our friends and family. We use it to vent our frustrations. It’s where we keep our photo albums. But, sharing everything about yourself can be costly if you are in the middle of a custody battle.
Increasingly, judges are allowing social media activity to be introduced into the courtroom. Even if you have nothing to hide, it’s best to be aware of how social profiles can be used in a custody case.
Avoiding Potentially Damaging Posts
Parents who enjoy social media and rely on it to keep in touch with friends and family may be hesitant to delete or temporarily avoid their accounts. If this is the case, they need to think carefully about what they are posting.
Parents should avoid writing negative things about the other parent or even discussing the divorce or child custody case at all on social media. Regardless if your profile is private or not, anyone can get access to your account. Friends or family members could see your posts about your children’s other parent and relay the information to them.
Parents should also be careful about sharing photos that could be used against them. For example, a parent might not think twice about being photographed at a social gathering with a drink, but if the other parent is making accusations about alcoholism and unfit parenting, this might be introduced into the custody case. Even if you were being responsible and your children were not around, posts like this do not paint a positive picture.
It can be difficult to know whether your posts are okay to share or if you should keep it to yourself. When in doubt, think about what you would think if you saw your ex share something similar. For many, this means staying silent online until custody negotiations are finalized.
If you are in the midst of child custody issues, call Advocate Law Firm, P.A. at (863) 644-5566 to discuss how our Bartow child custody attorney can assist you.