Social media can be an unhealthy environment for people in Washington who are going through a divorce. While the best approach might be to forgo social media altogether until the divorce is finalized, those who want to continue using it should adhere to some guidelines.
Social media best practices
The underlying principle for social media use should be to avoid making reference to the divorce or to the spouse and avoid posting about anything that could be used against the poster. For example, a person who is in the middle of a custody battle might not want to post photos of themselves at a party drinking alcohol in case the other parent tries to use it as evidence of substance abuse. Someone who is trying to get the amount they are supposed to pay in spousal support reduced because they are struggling financially should not post a photo of an expensive new car they just bought. It is also important to be careful on social media after the divorce with these types of posts if they could affect alimony payments or child custody arrangements.
Steering clear of divorce talk
Another reason to remain discreet on social media is that it can be painful for children to see one parent say hurtful things about the other parent. Even if there are no children involved, the best approach is to take the high road. People should lock down their privacy settings on all accounts, but they should also post with the assumption that anyone might have access to what they share online.
Divorce can be difficult, and it can be tempting to vent in a space that feels as though it is composed of friends and family. However, it is best to treat it as a public space and keep any discussion of the divorce offline.
