When a Virginia couple are facing the end of their marriage, they may decide to share their feelings on social media. It may feel good to vent, but there are a number of potential drawbacks to doing so. Along with the fact that what is said on the Internet is public, there’s also the potential for things that are shared on the Internet to affect the legal proceedings.
If a person goes to a social media site, like Facebook, and then posts a rant about their spouse, it is likely to lead to a lot of hurt feelings and anger. In addition to making someone’s spouse upset, friends and family may also be angry or uncomfortable. Additionally, these posts may end up getting back to their children.
Along with the issue of saying something regrettable, people may also find that social media is depressing. Many people share pictures and posts of what look like perfect lives, editing out arguments and struggles. A person going through a divorce may compare their lives to apparently perfect ones and feel like a failure.
In addition to exacerbating emotional issues related to a divorce, social media can also have an impact on how things like property division and child custody are determined. Photos or posts that indicate someone is doing well financially or make them appear irresponsible may result in that person having a difficult time obtaining alimony or custody of a child. As a result, family law attorneys will remind their clients of the importance of being discreet and remaining in control of their emotions, as difficult as it may be.