3 Top Safety Risks of Social Media

Keeping you and your home safe requires privacy. But is privacy even possible in today’s social media world? Although it’s become easier than ever to stay in touch with family and friends, the risk to your security is greater than ever.

Social media updates can sometimes provide information to would-be burglars and put you and your family at risk. With the ability to tag, check in, and post personal photographs across the web, you might be exposing too much of yourself.

Understanding how to keep your social media private will ensure that you protect your property from unwanted visitors. You’ll be able to stay connected with those you love and keep valuable information away from prying eyes.

Letting Others Track You

The sad truth is that privacy is limited in the online world. There are countless ways that hackers and criminals can access personal information.

But it’s not just the information you share with others. Many social media platforms gather data related to your location that can make it easy to track your activities in the real world.

There are apps that are designed to share your location with others through “check-in’s” and other notifications. The intent is to allow you to connect with others nearby who share similar interests. The unintended consequence is that it broadcasts when you’re away from your home.

Deactivate any GPS or geotracking settings in your apps when you post to avoid giving out information on your location.

There’s Nobody Home

Sharing photos and updates while on vacation lets others know where you are… and where you aren’t. Even worse, announcing how long you’ll be on vacation gives potential burglars a specific window for them to attack.

The best way to avoid this problem is to share your photos and vacation information after you’ve returned home. You might have to delay the gratification of sharing with others, but you’ll be protecting your home in the long run.

Sharing Your Children’s Information

One of the most common safety risks of social media involves information related to your children. Many proud parents post photos of their kids online. In some cases, they use these pictures as their own profile photos, further displaying their kids to the public.

When these photos include your children’s names, it makes it very easy to recognize them out in public. Knowing their names gives individuals the ability to approach them as a friend of the family.

This doesn’t mean you can’t share any personal events with friends and family. But it does mean that you should pay attention to the privacy settings you have in place while doing so. Although this may not be a full guarantee, it can at least give you an added level of protection.

Understanding the safety risks of social media lets you protect you and your family from any potential security threat. This includes confiscation of sensitive data as well as intrusion into your home.

Being safe when using social media should be a practice that you share with your entire family. You’ll be able to stay connected with your loved ones while keeping family members and your home free from harm.