During custody battles, you must always put your best foot forward. The court will want to confirm that you have what it takes to care for and be a good influence on your children. To this end, the court will scrutinize everything you do and say, even what you post on your social network accounts.
This does not mean you must cancel all social media accounts. You can continue to use these platforms but do so carefully. There are certain things that are likely to get you into trouble. Five of the most common media blunders to avoid include the following.
Speaking ill of your ex
No matter how frustrating your divorce and custody battle may be, you should avoid posting anything bad about your ex, their family, or parenting skills. Anything you say, express or implied, can negatively affect you in court.
Making inappropriate posts
Be careful about posts that can cast doubt on your character, including those that contain:
- Alcohol
- Drugs
- Inappropriate jokes
Your ex may use such posts to prove you are not fit to be a parent.
Posting about the custody battle
Custody battles may involve sensitive information. Do not discuss the case on private chats, as it can compromise your children’s privacy. Moreover, some judges frown on publicizing court cases, so doing so can get you in trouble with the court.
Neglecting account security
Somebody can hack into your social media accounts and post questionable content or gather potentially incriminating information about you. Follow online security best practices, such as replacing the passwords and security questions on your social networks, emails, and cloud storage accounts.
Deleting social media content
If you delete content while the case is ongoing, the court may assume that you are concealing evidence. For this reason, make sure to consult with your lawyer before deleting anything. Additionally, you may accidentally erase information that could help your case.
Social media is a powerful tool, but remember that what you do with it can impact your child custody case.