Is Social Media Making You Vulnerable to Burglary?
Let’s face it, social media like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have become an integral part of our daily lives!
Nearly 3 in 4 U.S. adults now use social media on a regular basis — a number that’s expected to increase in the years to come.
While posting updates about your personal life may seem harmless enough, it can place your home or business at a greater risk for burglary.
Leaving Your Profile Public
Why is this a problem? Well, if your social media profiles are set to public instead of private, anyone can see what you post.
So while you may assume that only your friends and family members are receiving the messages, the fact is that anyone can access them, including burglars. Not only will they be able to see when you are out of town or otherwise away from home, they will also know when you get a new television or diamond earrings.
You can set your Facebook profile to private by selecting the home arrow at the top of your screen, and then selecting “Friends.” Now only your Friends will be able to see your Facebook posts.
Hidden Data in Photos
These days, burglars are using social media to target homes and businesses by identifying data in photos.
If you take a photo while you are away on vacation, for instance, a burglar may be able to identify your location via data contained in your photo.
Each time you take a photo with your camera or smartphone, your device stores hidden data in the file.
This action may include the camera name and model, date and time, ISO speed, resolution and even the GPS coordinates from where you took the photo.
Burglars may look at GPS data to determine if you are at home and then take advantage of you.
You can strip this data from your photos in just a few easy steps. If you are using Windows, right-click the photo file and choose Properties > Details > Remove Properties and Personal Information.
Windows will then automatically remove all data from the photo file, including GPS coordinates. Alternatively, you can use a separate third-party app to clean up your photos.
Location-Sharing Apps
Another risk posed by social media involves location-sharing apps. Many users download and install new apps without taking note of their privacy settings.
Unfortunately, this may result in your GPS coordinates or other location data being shared on social media. To disable location tracking on devices, access Settings > Privacy > Location Services > and toggle the GPS off. This setting also allows you to specify the apps you want to share your location.
If you want to use GPS again, just go back into this option and toggle it back on.
Use Social Media to Stay Informed!
Follow Cultris Security on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to stay on top of the latest news on security. Contact us for all of your home or business security needs at 281-506-8466 or visit us online!
