FAMILY LAW ARTICLES

Changing passwords is important during divorce

It’s long been a recommended practice to change the locks on the doors of the family house during divorce. This is particularly applicable when the split was not an amicable one. Now in the modern era where digital privacy is an issue, it’s recommended that families that may have previously shared email passwords, passwords for bank accounts, passwords for phone bills or other online accounts need to change those passwords.

It’s a fact that an angry or malicious ex may be able to either quietly stalk your activities, cause serious problems by accessing banking records, or embarrassing you while using you’re a social media account.

Protecting your personal data and your family

An article in Slate.com points out that security and privacy concerns now carry over into an increasing variety of modern technology that many have yet to considered by many. Examples include:

• A smart house: the modern conveniences like a doorbell camera, online climate control, lights, etc.) can now be monitored.
• Digital assistants: Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri can be used to monitor your activities.
• GPS: Locations provided by the family car or a smart phone app can easily be tracked.

Passwords and other security measures are designed to protect you and loved ones from intruders or strangers. But these are much less effective when the intruder is not a stranger. While this list is just a start, there are other unique forms of potential abuse that are emerging from data privacy violations.

Better safe than sorry

While it’s annoying to change passwords and remember the new ones, it creates a clear boundary which the ex is no longer able to cross. It also creates a safer environment for you and your loved ones. Even if the ex seems comfortable with the clear boundaries, looks can be deceiving and situations can change. A good time to do this is early in the process of filing for divorce. A family law attorney can be helpful in addressing any questions you may have about divorce and digital privacy, finances and other matters.