Back in your grandparents’ day, there were plenty of annoying things about getting divorced (aside, of course, from just getting divorced). Your lawyers couldn’t angrily email each other; instead, they had to call and yell at each other, or worse, send irate letters via snail mail. You couldn’t fill out forms electronically, or easily print out as many copies as you needed quickly. Rather, some poor secretary had to sit and painstakingly type all the documents on crinkly carbon paper, all of which had to be tossed out if there was a tiny typo.
However, there was one big giant divorce disaster-in-the-making that they didn’t have to deal with back, oh, eight years ago: social media missteps.
If you’re separated or your divorce is in progress, you can put yourself at risk with everything you post on any social networking site. Here are some dos and don’ts that will help you avoid giving damaging information to your future ex’s lawyer:
Do post adorable pictures of you playing with your child on Facebook. Create a Tumblr dedicated to photos taken while doing fun activities with your child.
Don’t write on Facebook that you’re so exhausted after taking care of your child for the weekend. Don’t tweet about how angry you are with the way you’re ex is turning your child into a brat. Don’t start a Pinterest pinboard dedicated to pictures of your ex scribbled over with obscenities.
Do post happy birthday greetings to your friends, offer congratulations on weddings or engagements. Post positive information about sports or school events that your children have participated in.
Don’t post something like, “Happy Birthday…now drop dead” on your ex’s birthday.
Do post compliments about how great your friends and family members look in their pictures.
Don’t post about the super hotness of any teen celebrity. Just don’t.
In the end, you can make your life easier by just remembering that no matter how private you think a network is, or how careful you’re being about who you share something with, you’re still taking a risk that your post or tweet will come out somehow. Don’t put anything out there that you wouldn’t want on the front page of a newspaper…or on your ex’s lawyer’s desk.