Facebook and divorce

I Hate My Ex-Husband.

It's an angry sentiment that exudes private rage often expressed in hidden journal entries.

It's also a group on Facebook. Don't worry, there's also an "I Hate My Ex-Wife" group.

Welcome to the new marriage between Facebook and divorce.

That's the subject of this Time magazine article, which describes how Facebook interactions have entered the courtroom. Divorce lawyers often regard sites like Facebook as "evidentiary gold mines," the article says. It explains:

Did your husband's new girlfriend Twitter about getting a piece of jewelry? The court might regard that as marital assets being disbursed to a third party. Did your wife tell the court she's incapable of getting a job? Then your lawyer should ask why she's pursuing job interviews through LinkedIn.

There's also the emotional side of things, like the fact that including news of your divorce on a status update can attract sympathy messages from people you haven't seen since high school.

Sure, maybe the Time piece isn't anything new, but it confirms how important it is to talk with your significant other about how much of your relationship you'll disclose on social networking sites.

Then again, when you've entered Splitsville, I guess all bets are off.

(via Lemondrop)