For the majority of people, social media has become a daily part of our lives. Keeping in touch with friends, posting pictures of your children, and watching the latest trending video have never been easier, but did you ever stop and think about how social media can play a role in your divorce?

It’s very easy to gather information about people from their social media profiles, especially when people habitually over share. There’s a time and place for particular posts, but when you are going through a contentious divorce, there are a few tips to keep in mind before sharing your life on Facebook.

1) Check your privacy settings

If you fear your spouse is snooping around your social media profiles, it’s time to disconnect, unfriend, or block them. This might seem harsh, but it’s an easy way to minimize the potential threat of causing additional drama and arguments online.

2) Don’t badmouth your spouse

No matter how frustrated and upset you become, do not use social media as an emotional outlet. Opposing counsel can print your posts and use it as evidence during your divorce. Don’t rely solely on privacy settings because anything you post online can often be found.

3) When in doubt, don’t post

Before posting anything, take a step back and ask yourself, “Could someone misinterpret this? Could opposing counsel use this against me?” If the answer is yes, do not post! Sharing funny pictures and videos can seem harmless, but they might be misconstrued.

4) Suspend your online presence

Using social media has become second nature to us, so the thought of logging out for an extended period of time feels unnatural. The bottom line: the best way to protect yourself from any social media content being used against you during the divorce is to suspend your online presence—don’t delete your accounts, but take a break from social media.

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