Disgruntled parents can post whatever they want about their divorce proceedings on social media, and many take advantage of an opportunity to disparage their spouse to the immense audience the Internet provides. Sadly, it's not uncommon for them to also share photos and videos of the children involved, and, at this time, there are no orders or rules to prohibit it or to protect the children involved.

Using social media as a weapon is harmful to children, especially those who are already vulnerable to distress because of the disruption caused by their parents' divorce. So who's protecting children from their parents' potentially hurtful posts?

Under New York State law, when divorcing parents cannot agree on what is best for their children, courts have broad authority to make those determinations for them. For example, a court can decide which parent has legal custody and can make decisions for the children, or a court can step in and decide issues on its own, such as what school a child attends, what religion a child will follow, and even what medical procedures he or she undergoes. Courts also have the authority to dictate if, when, and how parents and children interact and what topics the parents can discuss in front of the children.