Divorce With Respect

Report: Many couples ‘like’ a social media prenup

On Behalf of | Jun 18, 2014 | English, Firm News, Prenuptial Agreements | 0 comments

Think about the last time you checked on or updated a social media profile. If you are like many people, you have probably done this at least once today. People are more connected than ever through sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and while there are many upsides to these connections, there are also some drawbacks that can have a surprising effect on users.

For instance, social media use can have a negative impact on relationships. Whether a person is constantly distracted by Facebook or is uploading unflattering or unwanted photos of his or her partner to Instagram, these behaviors can ultimately tear two people apart. Some people are taking steps to prevent these situations by drawing up a social media prenuptial agreement. But is this really something that couples should seriously consider?

Reports indicate that there has been a surge in people looking for these social media prenups. They say that they want to be clear about what is and is not appropriate behavior online and clearly define the consequences, which are generally financial, of violating these expectations.

Some of the things that people are addressing in these prenups include:

  • Posting embarrassing pictures
  • Defining appropriate exchanges with others
  • Restricting use or access

There is certainly nothing wrong with protecting yourself, your future and your reputation before you get married, but some people argue that a social media prenup may be going overboard. Instead of defining social media expectations in a contract, critics say, couples should just be able to discuss these matters if and when they arise. Also, it is unclear whether such a contract is legally enforceable by a court.

The popularity of social media sites remains very high, and there is no reason to expect that to change any time soon. Therefore, it is quite likely that the issue of defining social media expectations in a prenup is also not going anywhere.

What do you think? Would you, or did you, consider signing a social media prenuptial agreement?

Source: Time, “People Are Getting Social Media Prenups,” Charlotte Alter, June 5, 2014

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