SEATTLE -
The most popular social network in the world could get you in some serious legal trouble. Divorce attorneys say they're using evidence from Facebook, more and more, when couples are splitting up.
This comes from a survey of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. It says four out of five divorce attorneys have seen an increase in social networking sites used as evidence in the past five years. The top site used in these situations is Facebook, which could create a case against you--without you ever realizing it.
For divorce attorneys like Molly Kenny, the question is simple. Why hire a private detective when you have Facebook? Kenny says, "It's a goldmine of information." Kenny says spouses may tell a judge about being depressed, for example, but then contradict themselves by posting shots of a wild party. Or let's say you claim you don't have money to support yourself, or your child. "But, you have pictures of where you're on a Hawaiian vacation," Kenny says. "Something is amiss there, and you're going to have to do some explaining."
The bigger problem may be that we're explaining a bit too much of ourselves with social media. Facebook alone has 500 million users, who have 130 friends on average. And think about it: Facebook users share 25 billion pieces of content per month. If you're not posting a picture, or other information about yourself, someone else is. As Kenny points out, "As long as you've given somebody access to it, there is no expectation of privacy."
Kenny's clients were too upset with their cases to talk about this with Q13 FOX News. But when I asked for help in my own Facebook network, one woman, who I'll keep anonymous, wrote this.
"I actually have been... 10 minutes away from having an affair because of a man I reconnected with on Facebook. it did not happen.. but I really have to get rid of those male friends that make these sexual advances.''
Attorneys say if you're divorced or not, Facebook can be a very easy way to flirt with old friends or strangers. Just remember, access to your personal life is as close as a scammer setting up a false account. Kenny says, "You have to use it as a tool.. and you have to be smart in how you use it."
Washington is a no-fault state, meaning spouses don't need a specific reason to file for divorce, such as adultery. But Facebook and other social media can come into play during a divorce trial in our state, when attorneys are trying to determine mental or emotional states, for example. For more on the divorce study, follow this link. For information about the divorce attorney referred to in this story, Molly Kenny, click here.
This comes from a survey of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. It says four out of five divorce attorneys have seen an increase in social networking sites used as evidence in the past five years. The top site used in these situations is Facebook, which could create a case against you--without you ever realizing it.
For divorce attorneys like Molly Kenny, the question is simple. Why hire a private detective when you have Facebook? Kenny says, "It's a goldmine of information." Kenny says spouses may tell a judge about being depressed, for example, but then contradict themselves by posting shots of a wild party. Or let's say you claim you don't have money to support yourself, or your child. "But, you have pictures of where you're on a Hawaiian vacation," Kenny says. "Something is amiss there, and you're going to have to do some explaining."
The bigger problem may be that we're explaining a bit too much of ourselves with social media. Facebook alone has 500 million users, who have 130 friends on average. And think about it: Facebook users share 25 billion pieces of content per month. If you're not posting a picture, or other information about yourself, someone else is. As Kenny points out, "As long as you've given somebody access to it, there is no expectation of privacy."
Kenny's clients were too upset with their cases to talk about this with Q13 FOX News. But when I asked for help in my own Facebook network, one woman, who I'll keep anonymous, wrote this.
"I actually have been... 10 minutes away from having an affair because of a man I reconnected with on Facebook. it did not happen.. but I really have to get rid of those male friends that make these sexual advances.''
Attorneys say if you're divorced or not, Facebook can be a very easy way to flirt with old friends or strangers. Just remember, access to your personal life is as close as a scammer setting up a false account. Kenny says, "You have to use it as a tool.. and you have to be smart in how you use it."
Washington is a no-fault state, meaning spouses don't need a specific reason to file for divorce, such as adultery. But Facebook and other social media can come into play during a divorce trial in our state, when attorneys are trying to determine mental or emotional states, for example. For more on the divorce study, follow this link. For information about the divorce attorney referred to in this story, Molly Kenny, click here.
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