Technology is deeply interwoven with most people’s daily lives. You may keep your bills, your correspondence, your business information, your taxes and even your journal or goals on your computer or phone – and think nothing of it.
If you’re getting divorced, however, you need to be careful about how much access your spouse has to your data so that it doesn’t get used against you in some way out of anger, revenge or greed. Here are some tips:
Establish a “hands-off” policy
As soon as you and your spouse have agreed to divorce, make it clear that you need your privacy. Let your spouse know that they are not welcome to thumb through your phone or borrow your laptop, tablet or other devices.
Create new passwords for everything
Even if your spouse verbally agrees to leave your electronics alone, you should put new passwords on all your devices – and any accounts you routinely access online, like your streaming services, credit cards, Amazon account and so on. Invest in a password management app to make it easy for you to generate random, unguessable passwords that will keep prying eyes out.
Use two-factor identification
If you’ve set up a new bank account or have your social media accounts locked down, that’s great – but set up two-factor identification anyhow. That means that any attempts to access your account will automatically trigger an email or a text and require secondary verification before they can be opened.
Create new social media accounts
Let your old Facebook and Instagram accounts go dormant and set up new ones. Then, be careful about who you accept as a “friend” and put your privacy settings on maximum. That can help keep prying eyes out of your business.
Getting through a divorce can be difficult, and the electronic age has created a few new pitfalls, but experienced legal assistance can help.