How might what you post on Facebook affect your application for Social Security Disability benefits? We are living in a time when everyone has a video camera in their pocket, and your expectation of privacy is eroding every minute. Many Americans live their lives online on public display. We snap pictures of what we eat, where we go, and what we do on our social media platforms, which are visible for the world to see regardless of whether you think that your account is set to private. We use social platforms like Facebook and Twitter to keep in touch with family members and to communicate with coworkers, friends and everyone else in the world. When you are applying for Social Security Disability benefits, you must be extremely cautious about what you post about yourself, and about what your friends post about you online. If you post an image on a public social media site, it is fair game and can be used against you.
Be smart about what you post on social media when you are waiting on disability benefits
You are applying for disability benefits, and you have filled out an application claiming that you are too disabled to work. You want to make sure that you do not post anything or that no one else posts anything that would either contradict that or call into question whether you are truly disabled. If you have any concerns, seek the guidance of your Philadelphia SSDI lawyer about whether you should be posting on social media while your application for benefits is pending. Some applicants may have disqualified themselves because of what they have posted online, and there are lawmakers who are urging the Social Security Administration to consult the social media profiles of disability applicants before approving their applications for benefits.
You have no expectation of privacy on social media even when you think you do
This is not to say that you may never post anything ever again online. You must use common sense, and if you are unsure, run it by your lawyer first. You might take a minute and think about what an Administrative Law Judge might think about you and your disability if they were to see what you are posting. Even if your account is set to private, what you post can still be revealed. You should also know that when you snap a photo with your phone, there is metadata that includes the geographic location of where and when the image was taken (unless you have turned off that setting on your phone), so anyone investigating the content of your profiles can easily discover where and when the images were snapped.
In most cases, people apply for Social Security Disability benefits because they have no other means of financial support because they are unable to work because of failing health. It would be tragic to have something you posted online interfere with getting your application approved.
Follow your doctor’s orders
Make sure that you keep up with your doctor visits and that you comply with the treatment plan. If your symptoms get worse or if you are not responding to the treatment, see your doctor and ask them to try another option. While you are waiting, avoid doing anything online or publicly that could have a negative impact on your application for disability benefits.
If you, or someone close to you is having trouble in getting approved for disability benefits near Philadelphia, contact the Philadelphia Social Security Disability attorneys at Larry Pitt & Associates, or call 888-PITT-LAW. We are here to serve our clients in Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties.
