If there’s one thing many of us love, it’s sharing our holiday pics on social media while we’re away.
A shot of outstretched legs on a beach with the caption “happy Monday!”, a cheeky boomerang of some mid-afternoon cocktails or simply a strategically framed passport with a boarding pass tucked in – we love a little holiday humblebrag
In fact, we love a holiday shot so much that research by Go2Africa and YouGov found, among those aged 18-24 years old, one in 20 people are influenced by how “Instagrammable” a location is.
However, security experts are urging Brits to resist the urge to share until they’re back home as there has been a considerable rise in burglaries occurring while people are away on their travels. Grim.
What to avoid posting on social media when you go away
To help travellers keep their homes safe while they’re abroad, security experts at Safe.co.uk have revealed what to avoid posting before and during a holiday.
Out of office
This is pretty heartbreaking for those of us who love nothing more than to post a shot of our ‘out of office’ when we’re finally set to enjoy some well-earned rest.
But, of course, posting this means you’re giving burglars pretty exact dates for when you’re going away and when they can expect you to be back. The experts warn that posting this can actually lead to multiple intrusions of a home.
Holiday countdowns
Holiday countdowns are so fun that there are even apps dedicated to helping you count down the days, hours, minutes, and even seconds until you’re jetting off.
Needless to say, when you share this information on social media, you’re basically advertising the opportunity to rob your home and experts warn that the most meticulous of burglars may also monitor the local area to calculate the perfect time to break-in while the owner is none the wiser.
Location tagging and check-ins
By now, hopefully more of us are wary of tagging locations, especially as some locations will tag the exact address you’re at which is just a personal security nightmare.
But, if you weren’t aware, checking in on social media and providing your location gives burglars the perfect chance to strike. Resist the urge to even share your location in stories, too, as this allows thieves to calculate how long they have until you’re home. Even tagging from the airport gives them a window of opportunity.
Remember “thieves lurk everywhere”
Anthony Neary, managing director of Safe.co.uk said, “people need to be smart with social media as thieves lurk everywhere”.
“Avoid any posts that may alert burglars to a vacant home, and ensure that family members or neighbours are keeping an eye on the property,” he added.
Holidaymakers should keep updates from their excursions to private messages with loved ones until they’ve returned home, he suggested.
What better way to beat the post-holiday blues than sharing all the photos you took while you were away?