Digital Smarts - Divorce in the Digital Age

If you are involved in any kind of legal action, it is not uncommon for lawyers and private investigators to look at your social media posts and social networking pages for insights on your behavior and your actions. Many people who become involved in a break up or divorce go online to rant about an ex-partner or spouse but don’t think about the consequences of those actions. The post never goes away and can be shared with anyone. With our digital lives so entwined these days, there are even more considerations to be concerned with when going through a breakup, including changing your passwords, getting rid of shared services like Amazon or iTunes accounts and thinking about what to do with shared online bank accounts (ask your lawyer on that one). You should also consider wiping shared tablets or computers of any kind of personal data including passwords, credit card info, tax returns, browsing history and other things you may want to keep private. On social media, you will need to decide whether to stay friends online with your ex, remembering if you stay friends they will be able to see everything you post. Also keep in mind that if your kids have access to your social networking postings, your ex could and check your account through their devices.