In October of 2012, the founder of the popular social networking site, Facebook, announced that the site had reached a record of 1 billion monthly users, states the Huffington Post. Like this social media site, the prevalence and popularity of using social media has skyrocketed in the past few years. Although social media sites can be an advantageous way to keep up with family and friends, information shared on these sites can work for or against Los Angeles residents going through a divorce.

The power of social media

According to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, over 81 percent of members stated that they had used information shared on social media sites to aid them in their divorce cases. In addition to information found on social networking websites, other forms of communication, such as email and text messages, can also be subpoenaed and used as evidence in a divorce case.

Social media and other communication sources can be used to identify whether or not financial assets are being hidden during a divorce. For example, if a husband states to the Court that he is out of money but posts updates and pictures about a new vehicle or an expensive trip, this information can be obtained easily and used against him.

Using information found on social media sites against a spouse in a divorce is a valuable strategy. Because posts and updates on a social media sites are authored by the user, it is particularly difficult for a spouse to deny evidence of a new car or getaway because they were solely responsible for the post.

Effectively managing accounts

Because social media is a widely used source of information in divorce cases, individuals going through a divorce should take special care about the way they use social media sites during their divorce. Individuals getting divorced should:-Never post negative comments about their spouse online.-Avoid posting photos at events and social gatherings and not check-in at locations.-Take advantage of privacy settings to control what information specific people can see.-Never answer questions about what is happening in their divorce online.-Not update or change their relationship status.

Although it may be challenging, individuals going through a divorce should rely on face-to-face communication when discussing the events of their divorce. If managing social media accounts becomes too complex, users should close all their accounts until their divorce is finalized to avoid having information found on their accounts being used against them altogether.

If you are currently going through a divorce, contact an attorney that specializes in family law to determine what you can do to effectively manage the role that social media plays during your divorce.

Article provided by Stolar & Associates, A Professional Law Corporation Visit us at www.stolar-law.com