The Risks of Checking In On Twitter & Facebook
Growing up, we were taught the importance of making it look like somebody was always home, even when we were on vacation -- hanging an old shirt on the clothesline, leaving a few lights on inside, perhaps setting up a timer switch to turn the radio on and off at appropriate moments. We asked neighbors to collect our mail and newspapers, and we left a car parked in the driveway at all hours.
Times have changed. It's too expensive to leave lights or electric devices on for long periods, so we often unplug them at the wall. We don't get enough mail to worry about getting someone to check, unless we're gone for weeks at a time. We dry out clothes in the clothes dryer, not hung up outside. While the disappearance of some of these simpler techniques hasn't been directly tied to an increase in crime, there's a new habit that certainly has: our desire to share everything with everybody. In fact, a recent study in the United Kingdom has found that as many as 78% of criminals have used some form of social media to plan their crime.
Just left for the airport -- see you in two weeks, house!
We've all been tempted to post status updates like this. It's a combination of "Wish you were here" and "Sucks to be you -- I'm on vacation!"... Who doesn't enjoy rubbing that in, just a little? The problem, of course, is that you are effectively advertising your whereabouts (and absence) to anybody who can read your Twitter or Facebook streams. Depending on your security settings, that could range from just a few close friends to the entire world -- and do you really want all of those people knowing when you're not going to be home?
Even when you've got everything locked down and only show your social media updates to a select audience, we still advise you not to share this sort of information. While you may trust everybody on your friends list, there are a number of things that could compromise their security.
We've all been tempted to post status updates like this. It's a combination of "Wish you were here" and "Sucks to be you -- I'm on vacation!"... Who doesn't enjoy rubbing that in, just a little? The problem, of course, is that you are effectively advertising your whereabouts (and absence) to anybody who can read your Twitter or Facebook streams. Depending on your security settings, that could range from just a few close friends to the entire world -- and do you really want all of those people knowing when you're not going to be home?
Even when you've got everything locked down and only show your social media updates to a select audience, we still advise you not to share this sort of information. While you may trust everybody on your friends list, there are a number of things that could compromise their security.
Do you trust your colleague's brother? He's just borrowed her laptop, and she left her Facebook page open with your update clearly visible. ... Your sister's Twitter account has been hacked, and a potential thief is now reading through her newsfeed! ... While we don't want to cast aspersions on your nearest and dearest, it doesn't take much for someone's circumstances to change enough that theft becomes a tempting get-rich-quick scheme.
Believe it or not, though, there are thieves and nefarious types who literally scroll through page after page of status updates and Twitter feeds, browsing until they find someone who's announced they're leaving home. Depending on how many details you've shared, it takes nothing more than a little determination to discover where you live.
Daily check-ins lead to break-ins
It's not just vacations and holidays that pose a problem. Posting to the world that you're "off to the 9-to-5" tells would-be villains that nobody will be home for the next eight hours, so if they want to help themselves to that big-screen TV, now's the perfect time. Even that update telling everybody that you're about to catch the latest James Bond movie means there's a potential two-hour opportunity to break in -- longer, if you stay for the end of the credits.
The plot thickens when you throw check-in sites like Foursquare and Gowalla into the mix. It's one thing to simply tell the world that you're not home and another to tell them exactly where you are. We suggest checking in when you leave rather than when you arrive or setting all of your check-ins to private. You'll still be eligible for bonuses and special check-in only offers -- and your mayor status will not change -- but it will be less obvious when you're out and about.
We shouldn't have to mention that telling everybody things like "My burglar alarm just broke; that's an extra $500 repair bill I couldn't afford" is not a great idea, either. But you knew that, right?
Obviously, the solution here is to not share your every move. It might be tempting to tell everybody that you're on vacation and soaking up the sun while they're stuck at their day jobs surrounded by unseasonable rainstorms, but weigh it up: What's worth more, gloating or your personal belongings?
How to talk about your travels safely
There are many things you can do to talk about your travels digitally without giving the potential criminal a heads-up.
First, save the vacation photos and don't post them until you get home. Posting pictures on Facebook is easy, especially when you're at your house with a fast broadband connection. When you're there, you'll have more time to sort through them and make sure no embarrassing shots make their way onto your public wall, saving yourself some embarrassment.
Secondly, if you just have to share something while you're away, you can always send a direct message on Twitter or Facebook. That's a great and easy way to let loved ones know exactly what you're doing and where you are without broadcasting it to the whole world.
Finally, you can always send an old-fashioned postcard right from your iPhone. Postcards? Yup, there's an app for that!
It's not just vacations and holidays that pose a problem. Posting to the world that you're "off to the 9-to-5" tells would-be villains that nobody will be home for the next eight hours, so if they want to help themselves to that big-screen TV, now's the perfect time. Even that update telling everybody that you're about to catch the latest James Bond movie means there's a potential two-hour opportunity to break in -- longer, if you stay for the end of the credits.
The plot thickens when you throw check-in sites like Foursquare and Gowalla into the mix. It's one thing to simply tell the world that you're not home and another to tell them exactly where you are. We suggest checking in when you leave rather than when you arrive or setting all of your check-ins to private. You'll still be eligible for bonuses and special check-in only offers -- and your mayor status will not change -- but it will be less obvious when you're out and about.
We shouldn't have to mention that telling everybody things like "My burglar alarm just broke; that's an extra $500 repair bill I couldn't afford" is not a great idea, either. But you knew that, right?
Obviously, the solution here is to not share your every move. It might be tempting to tell everybody that you're on vacation and soaking up the sun while they're stuck at their day jobs surrounded by unseasonable rainstorms, but weigh it up: What's worth more, gloating or your personal belongings?
How to talk about your travels safely
There are many things you can do to talk about your travels digitally without giving the potential criminal a heads-up.
First, save the vacation photos and don't post them until you get home. Posting pictures on Facebook is easy, especially when you're at your house with a fast broadband connection. When you're there, you'll have more time to sort through them and make sure no embarrassing shots make their way onto your public wall, saving yourself some embarrassment.
Secondly, if you just have to share something while you're away, you can always send a direct message on Twitter or Facebook. That's a great and easy way to let loved ones know exactly what you're doing and where you are without broadcasting it to the whole world.
Finally, you can always send an old-fashioned postcard right from your iPhone. Postcards? Yup, there's an app for that!
===================================================================
Jessica Citizen writes for Tecca. Tecca is a next-generation personal electronics information and shopping service. We bring together the web's leading content, commerce, and community features to provide comprehensive solutions for consumers' ever-growing technology needs. Think of us as that tech savvy friend who helps you when you have questions about what to buy, what to pay, how to make the most of you already have, and when it's time to upgrade. Get to know us on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook.
Jessica Citizen writes for Tecca. Tecca is a next-generation personal electronics information and shopping service. We bring together the web's leading content, commerce, and community features to provide comprehensive solutions for consumers' ever-growing technology needs. Think of us as that tech savvy friend who helps you when you have questions about what to buy, what to pay, how to make the most of you already have, and when it's time to upgrade. Get to know us on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook.
Comments