Social Media: How it Can Impact a Family Law Case
In this day and age, most people have at least one form of social media. Most commonly, personal social media accounts are used to stay connected with loved ones by regularly sharing photos and life updates. Due to the popularity of social media, personal accounts can serve as a wealth of public as well as private information for a person, which can be legally requested during a divorce and/or child custody case. From Facebook to online dating profiles, it is important to understand how any form of social media can be used in a family law case.
Social media can be used as evidence for a few things such as:
- Proof of a spouse’s state of mind and/or behavior
- Documented communications
- Proof of spending or income
- Evidence of actions
- Evidence of who a spouse is seeing on a regular and/or infrequent basis
Even if a social media account is private, the information under the account can be legally requested. However, there are steps that can be taken to boost the security of a social media account so long as it does not interfere with a court order. If a spouse does not want to deactivate his or her accounts altogether, it is important to not rely solely on privacy settings, to think twice before posting, and, if possible, to limit time spent on social media.
The attorneys at Hatcher Law Group know and understand the roles that social media can play when dealing with matters of separation and/or child custody. If you or someone you know has questions on this topic, contact us today to schedule a consultation.