BROOKLYN, New York. In any close relationship, two people might share many things with one another. Some couples share phones, or share their locations. Others might share digital services and passwords. But, what happens when you plan to get divorced? New technology brings with it unique risks. Some individuals are becoming victims of digital stalking after their separation or divorce.
Share my location features can permit an ex to locate you, wherever you are. If you and your former partner are no longer together and you don’t want him or her to know where you are, you may want to turn off sharing my location features on your devices. Alarmingly, your ex may even have the right to track certain devices, like a phone or family car. According to NPR, if any property is jointly owned, both parties have the right to track the property. This means that your ex could theoretically put a tracking device on your shared vehicle and this would not be illegal. This highlights the importance of speaking to a divorce lawyer in Brooklyn as soon as possible. The Elliot Green Law Offices are divorce lawyers in Brooklyn, New York who can review your circumstances, and help you finalize your divorce, so that you can protect your privacy.
According to NPR, digital spying is increasingly becoming an issue in divorce cases. Exes, particularly abusive ones, might use digital tools to try to learn about affairs, learn about an ex’s, drinking, or learn about his or her drug use. With access to your photos, it is entirely possible that an ex might try to paint a negative picture of your behavior to try to get custody of your children. Spyware applications can let a person see your messages and even your web searches. If your ex installed the spyware without your knowledge, it may be illegal, especially if the phone isn’t shared. But, if you share phones on a family plan, the law can get murky.
Another way individuals can be digitally stalked is through social media. Sometimes couples share their social media passwords or accounts. If you are getting divorced and separated, now might be the time to divorce your accounts and change your passwords.
The percentage of people who have been digitally stalked is higher for those who have gotten divorced. So, what can you do to protect yourself? First of all, as soon as you plan to get divorced, talk to your divorce lawyer. The Law Office of Elliot Green are divorce attorneys in Brooklyn, New York who can help you understand what digital information you may want to preserve as evidence. Then, once you’ve backed everything up, you may want to do a factory reset on your devices.
Stalking can be traumatic for victims. According to Broadly, some victims suffer from PTSD. Others struggle to date or trust people after they have been stalked. Stalking is so fundamentally invasive, especially if it catches you off guard.
It is important to protect yourself during your divorce. While you may not be able to stop an ex from attempting to track shared property, a little knowledge about digital stalking tactics can go a long way to protecting yourself.
Law Office of Elliot Green
32 Court Street, Suite 404
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718-260-8668
Phone: 718-689-0282
