Here it is folks, the final installment in this five part series on Divorce Tech. If you happen to have missed any of our earlier installments, we recommend you spend a few minutes getting caught up. Otherwise, let’s pick up where we left off….
In this series we’ve been looking at the particular tech-related issues that you’d need to address, after deciding to get divorced. Having already talked about issues like surveillance sweeps, joint accounts, family phone plans and password protection, we’re going to look at the last two items on our list.
Shared No More
Family computers are still relatively common. Be it a laptop that has lived on the dining room table for years now, or simply a home office that gets used by everyone in the house for one thing or another, chances are there’s sensitive information on it. And your spouse can access it too.
Every website you’ve looked at, every email you checked, every social media network you checked in at. It’s all there, tucked away in the browser history of your computer, and relatively easy for someone else to find with minimal effort. So do yourself a favor and clean up after yourself – few things could be worse than your angry spouse hacking your Facebook account, or sending rude emails to your boss! Not sure how? Here goes:
- Chrome: Go to History, then select Show Full History. Check the boxes to clear form data as well as cookies, cache, download, and browsing history. But don’t check the box to clear “Passwords”, as that will leave your partner without access. Go into Settings (on a Mac this is called Preferences), and scroll to Passwords and Forms. Then select Manage Passwords to delete logins for your accounts only.
- Internet Explorer: In Windows, go to the Control Panel, then select Network and Internet, and from there select Internet Options. Now choose Delete browsing history, and check every box on the list except Passwords. Go back to the Control Panel, and select User Accounts. Now select Credential Manager, and then Web Credentials. Now you can delete your accounts.
- Firefox: Go to Options (on a Mac this is called Preferences), then select Security, and choose Saved Passwords. Select your logins, and then go to History and select Clear Recent History. Choose “Everything”, and then check every box for browsing and download history.
Talk vs Text
Divorcing couples tend to say a lot of things to each other that aren’t very kind. This makes sense – after all, their marriage is falling apart and they’re processing loss, anger, resentment, and heartbreak. But you need to consider a few things the next time you and your spouse get caught up in a heated debate.
Conversations that you have on the phone are not entered into the court’s records. However texts can be! So you need to decide what method is the best for the dialogues that you and your soon-to-be ex are having. Are they saying things to you in private that they then claim were never said in public? If so, then maybe text is the best possible method of communication. Because once they’ve sent it to you, it’s a documented piece of evidence that can be submitted into the permanent record.
However, if you’re struggling to keep your cool when you talk to your ex, or having a hard time not saying something you’ll regret later on? Well, perhaps good old telephone conversation is the way to go. Remember, if it’s written down somewhere, chances are that the Judge is going to look at it too!
Do you need help from a skilled Michigan divorce attorney?
We hope this info helps you in approaching your tech-related issues in the wake of a divorce decision. Hopefully you’re able to get your life in order and get back on track quickly, and with a minimum of fuss. Either way, whatever your situation, we’re here to help. At The Kronzek Firm we’ve handed thousands of divorces all over mid-Michigan. We know how complicated this situation is, and how to help you achieve the best possible outcome in your divorce. So call 866 766 5245 today, and get help from a skilled Michigan divorce lawyer.