Experts explain why you should never post your holiday on social media in real time and why posting everything about your holiday as soon as it happens can put you at risk.
When your long-awaited holiday finally arrives, it’s tempting to let the whole world know. Many people want to share their excitement with friends and family, so they use social media to broadcast their activities in real-time. But there’s a darker side to posting your holiday snaps while on vacation that not everyone is aware of. You should never post your holiday online.
Trevor Cooke, the online privacy expert at EarthWeb, explains why real-time posting can make you vulnerable to criminals.
Airport Photos and Check-ins
Posting airport photos or check-ins online will alert others to the fact that you’re not at home, and make your property a potential target for burglars. You’ll also pinpoint your location, which can be a safety concern.
Boarding Passes
Never share photos of your boarding pass, as they feature a barcode that can reveal more details about your travel plans and private data. Criminals can use this to discover your flight, seat number, and contact details. They can then steal your phone number, driver’s licence information, and passport specifics to commit identity fraud.
Hotel Room Pictures
If you’re staying in a luxurious hotel room, it can be tempting to show it off on social media. However, doing this could reveal your exact location and the duration of your stay, which could leave you vulnerable to stalking or targeted theft. You should also never post your room number online, as criminals and other guests could seek to charge things to your room.
Location-Tagged Photos
These are an easy giveaway to your current whereabouts. They once again make your home an easy target for thieves by confirming you’re not at home, and potentially put your safety at risk by broadcasting your exact location.
Daily Itinerary Posts
These can seem like an exciting way to share your experiences with others and let them know about all the exciting adventures you’re having. However, it also means people know where you’ll be at specific times, which can be a serious security risk, potentially making you a target for theft, stalking, and even kidnapping. Remember that if your social media posts are set to ‘public’ rather than ‘private’, anyone can view them, which means criminals could see them too.
Photos of High-Value Items
Never flaunt pictures of expensive items or details of shopping sprees. These can attract unwanted attention not just online, but also in the real world, making you a potential target for thieves.
Trevor comments, “It’s advisable to wait until you’re safely back home to share your holiday memories. This protects your privacy and safety, ensuring your holiday remains a positive experience. If you follow these tips and hold off on posting your vacation pics until you’re safely back home, you won’t need to fear data or identify theft, burglary, or the loss of your belongings.”
Hopefully you can now appreciate the dangers of oversharing and never post your holiday online again.
Images courtesy of unsplash.com and pexels.com
