Could your child’s social media accounts hurt your custody case?

On Behalf of | Oct 23, 2020 | Child Custody |

As we’ve mentioned before, you need to be cautious about your social media when you’re going through a divorce and a custody dispute. What about your teens? Social media is something attorneys generally suggest people stop using during a divorce, but can you ask your children not to do the same? Could their social media posts actually affect you? 

Your child’s social media could be used in a custody case

The main reason that it’s a good idea for your teen to be cautious about what they post is that it could influence their custody arrangements. If your teen posts something suggesting that one parent didn’t show up for visitation or that the other failed to give them dinner, the other parent could try to use that information in court — even if the teen was just venting or acting out. Similarly, a teen’s use of exaggerated language can be problematic if they say something like, “My Dad went crazy on me,” or “my mom lost it.” That can be used to challenge their parenting skills or make them look unstable — even if the teen was just using hyperbole.

You also don’t necessarily want your teen sharing private information about your family during this time. When things are in flux and emotions are running high, that can lead to public revelations that may be better kept private.

Getting your kids to stay off social media may be tricky, but it’s likely in their best interests as you go through your divorce. If you do see a post they’ve made that concerns you, you should discuss it with them and then, if necessary, take your concerns to your attorney.

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