More parents going through divorce have to think about the ways their social media profiles may impact their children’s lives and what pictures are shared online. With more people using Facebook, many parents regret not establishing rules for sharing family photos online during and after the divorce.
Deciding what pictures to share online and how to manage a child’s online identity has become an issue during divorce and even after agreements have been finalized. Sharing your child’s or family photos online may seem like an innocent gesture but it can impact divorce proceedings and agreements.
Because social media has become such a big part of our lives, many family law attorneys tell their clients to delete or not use their online social media profiles while going through a divorce. Posting certain pictures may be used against a parent in divorce court and could impact child custody or other type of divorce agreement.
In addition to the impact of social media photos hurting a divorce case, it can also impact the family after the divorce. Many divorced parents disagree on how to raise their children when they are no longer together. With the use of Facebook and sharing photos with everyone, some divorced parents have an issue with what is shared with others online.
To address the issue of sharing photos online, some divorce agreements have specified what photos or information about family members can be used online. Discussing and creating an agreement during the divorce may be the best way to address any future arguments or disputes over online profiles.
Parents thinking about getting a divorce should consult a family law attorney to discuss their specific case and any issues or concerns that will need to be addressed.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Who gets custody of the Facebook profile info after a divorce?” Aisha Sultan, Dec. 31, 2012