It doesn’t matter how you got to the point of a divorce or who initiated it, you and your spouse are no longer a couple. At this point, you need to take steps to disentangle your lives and protect your privacy – especially your digital privacy.
These days, people do much of their communication, banking and planning online. In high-conflict divorces, an angry spouse may be tempted to impersonate you online through your accounts in ways that damage you both personally and professionally. Even in less acrimonious situations, a disgruntled spouse may resort to a little electronic snooping to find out information you’d rather keep to yourself.
Here are the steps to take:
1. Change your passwords and set up two-step verification
Does your spouse know the passwords to your email accounts, bank accounts, Amazon account and others? Change them all – even your Netflix password. Where possible, set up two-step verification. That can make it much harder for someone to access your accounts without your consent.
2. Change your access codes to electronics and use biometrics
You need to lock down your physical electronics, as well. If your spouse knows (or can guess) your passcode to your phone, tablet and laptop, you need to change them right away. That way, they can’t use your device’s password manager to get into your accounts. You should also consider adding biometric verification to any devices that support it so that nobody but you can unlock your devices.
3. Remove tracking devices and “check-in” authorizations
Unless you want your spouse to be aware of everywhere you go, turn off all “check-in” authorizations on your social media accounts that could broadcast your location. You also need to delete any apps you have that allow your spouse to check the location of your phone or vehicle. Couples often have these for safety (or just in case they lose their phone), and they can be easily overlooked in a divorce.
All divorces have the potential to be difficult. Experienced legal guidance can help you avoid critical mistakes.