5 Ways Facebook Puts Your Home At Risk
Posted By: Mountain Alarm, November 2014
In a world where technology is constantly evolving, we sometimes forget to take a step back and evaluate the amount of information we make available to the public. Our schedules fill up wither work duties and obligations and sometimes the easiest way to communicate with your friends and family is through social media. However, there are things we should keep in mind when sharing information to our friends on Facebook. Here are a few common mistakes we tend to overlook when posting on social media.
1. Posting pictures of your weekend getaway
One way to keep in touch with your friends is to post pictures showing them what you’ve been up to. That’s great– but you should be careful of the risk you’re taking. Posting this kind of information lets potential burglars know that you’re away from home and when they see that, they’ll identify your home as a vulnerable target.
2. Checking in
Often times when we’re at a famous restaurant or a well known area, we’ll check in on Facebook letting our friends know where we are. This is another way of sending a clear signal to potential invaders that you’re away from home and they’ll identify that it’s a good time to plan a break in.
3. Posting travel plans on your status
We’ve seen statuses like “Just booked my ticket to Europe!” or “Can’t wait to for next weeks trip to Japan!”. These status might get you a high number of likes, but is that the price you want to pay for putting your home security at risk? Think again.
4. Sharing pictures of your home
You’ve just remodeled your kitchen, or you just got a sweet 60-inch flat screen TV that you want to show off to your friends. But when burglars see this picture, rather than checking out the HD resolution on your new screen, they’re looking at your floor plan and the windows on your wall so they can plan their way in and out of your home.
5. Tagging your location
One option you have when posting statuses is to tag your location. Once again, this is another way to let burglars know exactly where you are and if it’s somewhere far– your home security could be at risk.
Although there are risks associated with sharing certain information on social media platforms like Facebook, there are things you can do to help ensure that your information is safe. Check your Facebook privacy settings to make sure everything is set to the proper adjustments.
