Do you have a social media account? Just about everyone in American is online and connected somehow to social media. That is proving increasingly problematic when parents end up in custody battles because many divorcing couples don’t realize that everything they put online is “fair game” in a custody fight.
Custody fights generally center around the fact that two people each think that the other is a terrible parent — and they’re usually determined to prove it. Since the court will make custody decisions based on whatever is in the child’s best interests, anything that makes one party look somewhat less-than-parental can become an issue.
Here are some examples of ways that your social media could be turned against you:
1. You post memes or jokes about doing drugs or drinking.
Sure, those memes were just meant to be a joke, and you aren’t really spending your time day drinking — but do you really want to have to explain your sense of humor to a judge that’s not even familiar with what a meme is?
2. You post photos of yourself out partying on the weekend.
You didn’t have the kids in your care, so you didn’t think it would be an issue — but your ex can use those photos to show that you’re more interested in having a good time than in being a good parent.
3. You lose your cool and blow up in a “vent” post about your ex.
If you let that happen, every word you type will probably be read in court — and your ex may use it disparage your character or claim that you aren’t capable of working with a joint parenting plan.
The best thing to do during a custody battle is to stay off the internet entirely. Failing that, make sure you have some sound guidance from an experienced custody attorney.
