With technology ever-advancing, the family law landscape and co-parenting relationships have changed drastically over the years. Here are some quick tips on ways that technology can both help and harm your co-parenting relationship.
Pros:
- AI and Tone Checking: Emotions run high during family law disputes and it can be easy to type out a hasty or aggressive message without thinking. Consider running your communications through AI resources before sending to check for tone and reword the message to be calm and respectful. This can help your co-parenting relationship be more amicable in the long-run and ensure you don’t send any messages you’ll later regret when they appear in the court record.
- Co-Parenting Apps: There are numerous options for co-parenting apps and websites, including Our Family Wizard, Custody X Change, CoParenter, and more. Each app has different features, but most focus on streamlining communications regarding parenting exchanges and setting up a shared information base for expense tracking, calendars, and more. Many of these apps also include automatic AI tone-checking. Utilizing these apps can make co-parenting more efficient, cordial, and easier to track.
- Increased Contact with Your Child: Instant messaging and audio/video calls allow you to remain in touch with your child during the other party’s parenting time. For younger children, this also helps ease the transition into spending extended periods away from one parent. Consider negotiating scheduled video calls in your parenting plan if frequent digital contact is important to you.
Cons:
- Digital Footprint: Be cautious about your social media activity following separation. Posts commenting on your case or disparaging the other party are frowned upon in the court’s eyes. Further, posts flaunting lavish lifestyles or irresponsible activity can harm your case for support or parenting time. Restricting who can see your feeds and thinking twice before posting will ultimately help your case in the long run.
- Written Trail: Outside of public social media activity, any private text message, email, or other digital communication you send to the other party could be produced as evidence in court. If you don’t want a judge to see it, don’t send it!
- Online Harassment: With increased digital access comes increased risk of harmful communications, particularly in high-conflict separations. Courts have held that excessive and/or abusive messages can be considered family violence justifying conduct or protection orders. If you receive any threats of imminent danger, contact the police immediately, but also consider speaking with a lawyer about potential options for extended legal protections against these abusive communications.
If you require legal guidance or assistance with co-parenting arrangements, book a consult with one of our experienced family lawyers today. The Connect Family Law team is well-equipped to support you through navigating the ups and downs of co-parenting in a digital age.
