Home Security Beat

Can Your Social Media Activity Compromise Your Home Security?

In order for us to stay connected with the rest of the world, we now go to various social media platforms such as Twitter, Myspace, Foursquare, Facebook, Loopt, etc. While these online sources have made connecting with friends and family as well as meeting new people easier, it makes you wonder how much social media activity can compromise your home’s security.

Some people who use Twitter or Facebook update their status almost religiously. Sometimes the updates are so regular that people can figure out exactly where you. This is where people’s personal safety can be at stake, because if you give out too much information about your location over the Internet, you can put yourself at risk. Although it might seem like fun to brag about wherever you’re going, you should think twice and maybe not be so detailed in your responses. It’s also wise to keep your location on your profile private or just enter the state and not your city. However, when it comes to your social media activity, it’s not just your personal security that you’re putting in jeopardy.

According to an article on Geeksugar, a UK-based website forecasted that homeowner’s insurance rates could increase due to social platform sites such as the ones mentioned above. These sites are not only connecting friends and family, but they are also used for business promotion and just for fun too. Could you imagine if your homeowner’s insurance company raised your rates by ten percent simply because you use these services?

With regard to home security, the problem isn’t necessarily checking in with people online and saying what you’re doing. The issue is with writing updates, which reveal that you’re not home. This is like an open invitation to burglars, and depending on how detailed you are, these lurkers might even know how long you will be gone.

When you look at these security concerns from this perspective, it will make you think twice when you’re writing updates on these social media sites. You can still have fun with these websites and stay in touch with friends and family, but you have to keep in mind that strangers can read this information too. In other words, choose your words wisely when using these sites and make sure to educate your children as well.

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Tags: social media activity, social media safety, twitter safety