Divorce already sucks and losing your entire digital library would be bitter icing on the cake, as a divorce lawyer Arlington, TX relies on can attest. In the digital age it’s not uncommon to see couples using joint accounts for itunes, share a single data plan and even run joint accounts on social media and email accounts. This post is to help you gain the best outcome make sure that you can keep all your favorite shows and tunes while also helping build your case.
iTunes and iTunes match
Ever since Apple rolled out the family sharing function for their iphones, people have pestered Apple with questions of how to retain apps and other precious data even when separating from the shared data pool. The family sharing functionality allows other users within the pool to have access to apps, subscriptions to services like apple music or spotify and retain pictures taken by other users. It’s a convenient way to allow the maximum amount of users to enjoy content for the lowest cost. Unfortunately as it was in 2012 it is the same in 2018. The original app purchase is associated with the account that paid for it. Once that account leaves the group all app data is pulled with them. The same for pictures and videos; if you are not the original creator a screenshot or separate copy is needed to retain the data after the split. However with itunes music and digital movies; they are protected by Apple DRM software preventing you from making duplicates of the content. This is where itunes match comes in for a subscription fee of $24.99 a year you can transfer up to 100,000 tracks to a new itunes account.
Phone Data, Social Media and Divorce
While the internet might bring us all closer together it is important to remember that social media can be dangerous to your divorce case. Illicit photos of yourself shared between you and your partner on apps such as tinder or snapchat are nearly impossible to delete and can negatively impact your perceptions in court. Of course the reverse is also true, the same kind of photos or posts can also hurt your spouse. While most people generally try to keep their posts relatively PG, searching for photos that others have tagged them in provides you the opportunity to see them in situations where they do not have control of the perception of the post. A simple screenshot of the post and backing the image up to your laptop or desktop and you’re set. But there is more to it than that. Because of the sharing of data that exists now you not only have access their photos and videos, but potentially spending transactions via apps like amazon, venmo or paypal. Bank statements from their bank app or even through apple pay. And of course the dreaded GPS. Part of the data sharing functions of modern smartphones is the ability to track the location of the paired devices. You not only have access to their content but their location 24/7. If your husband or wife is not being entirely truthful in court you now have the proof needed to expose them and take control of the narrative.
Thanks to our friends and contributors from Brandy Austin Law Firm PLLC for their insight into divorce and itunes.