Cuoco and Sweeting Do a Social Media Cleanse

Back in the day, when you broke up with a spouse or significant other, you might cut him or her out of your scrapbook photos or burn the scrapbooks entirely. Now, with our images mostly on social media, some people are choosing to remove all online traces of the relationship.

That seems to be what Kaley Cuoco, one of the stars of “The Big Bang Theory,” and her soon-to-be ex-husband Ryan Sweeting have done. Just before they announced their break-up after less than two years of marriage, they removed all photos of their time together from their Instagram accounts. Sweeting, a tennis pro, also took down his Facebook page.

People have varying opinions on whether this is a wise thing to do or not. After all, the relationship was an important part of your life. Do you really want to remove all evidence that it ever happened?

Removing these images may, however, be a way of showing people (whether you’re followed by millions or just a few friends) that the break-up wasn’t amicable. Some people feel that a “social media cleanse” may be healthier than hanging on to these digital memories or at least keeping them out there in public.

Cuoco, who hyphenated her last name to Cuoco-Sweeting after the two wed on New Year’s Eve of 2013, has apparently dropped more than her spouse’s photos. At a recent event, she was back to using her maiden name.

Obviously, deciding whether to remove your estranged spouse’s images from social media is a decision that everyone must make for him or herself. When there are children involved, it’s a much different matter.

Many family law attorneys, however, do recommend that their clients stay off of social media during and soon after a divorce. It can bring hurt and anger to see your ex moving on with someone else. More importantly, anything you post on social media can be used against you during the divorce proceedings.

Source: Jezebel, “The Case for the Post-Breakup Social Media Cleanse,” Tracy Moore, Oct. 01, 2015