Common Dangers of Posting Too Much on Social Media

One picture from your home posted on social media every bad-guy can get your home address.

Whether you like it or not, social media is very much entrenched in our daily lives and it’s not just for entertainment. It has become a vital tool for individuals to beef up their professional life and businesses use them as an indispensable marketing tool.

Posting on social media for practical purposes is sensible, but what gets people in trouble is sharing personal information that is better kept offline.

Posting too much on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms have serious real-life implications. Some get into physical danger because they posted stuff that makes it easier for other people to find them.

They may also share information that can be used for illegal transactions or criminal activity which can lead to loss of life or property.

Beyond Physical Danger

Social media is also one of the main culprits behind emotional issues and reputation problems. These can be as dangerous as the threat of being killed or having something valuable stolen from you. What’s in social media pretty much stays there forever and not all people are equipped to handle the mental stress of being besmirched at such high levels.

Here are some of the major threats that anyone can encounter via social media:

1.   Stalking or cyber-bullying

Bullying has gone beyond the school corridors or playgrounds. It has spilled over on social media and it can be more vicious than hitting each other after school. Children who are not yet aware of the dangers of social media tend to get careless with the privacy of their social media accounts or the type of stuff that they post online. These can be used by bullies and stalkers to destroy the psyche of victims.

Moreover,  bullying happens to adults in this manner as well, especially to those who make it a past-time to engage in debates in the comments section. Opposing parties will not think twice about using pictures of people to shame them online.

2.   Reputation Damage

HR managers now use social media as one of the main tools to screen potential job candidates. This should be enough for anyone to think twice about posting lewd images or photos of themselves on alcohol and drug binges. It would be such a pity to lose a coveted job opportunity just because you have photos of yourself getting wasted on a wild nude beach party.

It’s not just photos as well. Any posts or comments that can be attributed to sensitive issues like racism, homophobia, and political preferences can also lead to your defamation. All it takes is someone taking screenshots of your posts or comments and you may have a potential reputation problem in your hands.

You may think that it’s just a matter of common sense when it comes to deciding what or what not to post on social media, but surprisingly there are a lot of people who are not aware of the consequences of sharing pictures of their home or documents that contain their identification numbers.

5 Things You Should Never Post on Social Media

Given these factors, it’s imperative to keep the following information off your Facebook or Instagram pages.

1.   Home Address

Sure, you may not have your home address on your Facebook profile, but you do “check-in” each time you reach your house. You may give your house some witty names like “The Casa” or “The Batcave,” but this is enough to make people figure out where you live.

So never “check-in” while you are at home or anywhere else, for that matter.  Criminals can wait for you outside the bar as easily as they can wait for you outside your home.

2.   Vacation Plans

Nothing is more attractive to criminals than an empty home, with the owners away on vacation. Intruders can easily find vacation posts within a specific area, making it more efficient for them to plan their targets.

It’s understandable to get all excited about your plans but if you must do it, make sure that none of your Facebook friends are suspicious individuals. Better yet, why not just post pictures after you come back from your fabulous holiday?

3.   Your Kids

Just like any other parent, you can’t be blamed for proudly posting pictures of your children. Of course, you are so excited for others to see your baby’s first steps or when your seven-year-old wins an award. There’s nothing wrong with this, except for the unfortunate fact that it can put your kids in danger and make them targets for predators.

You never know who is watching. Pedophiles are on a blast having access to photos of children, along with information about their whereabouts, which are mostly posted by you. Avoid posting about them using the “public” setting and never ever reveal their school, their playground, or any other place where criminals can wait for them.

Most importantly, do not post pictures of your kids naked. It may seem cute and harmless to you and your friends, but this is a feast for the pedophiles thriving on pictures like this.

4.   The Inside of Your House

Who doesn’t love to show off their brand new house or a dramatically renovated interior of an old one? You did more than just take pictures for posting, you also made a video showing the layout of your house and then shared it on Facebook for everyone to see.

By doing this, you give criminals a thorough view of your interiors, which they can use to break in your home. If you MUST brag, stick to sharing it to your family and closest friends.

5.   Complaints About Your Boss or Workplace

Most, if not all of us have some sort of gripe against a co-worker, boss, or a company in general. While some are sensible enough to keep their complaints to themselves or share it with trusted colleagues, some actually post their rants online and with very specific details to boot.

So if you have the urge to trash-talk about your superior or your office, do it offline. Companies can easily use these public posts as grounds to get you fired.

Learn the Value of Social Media Privacy

Whether you’re an ordinary citizen or a high-profile individual, you should maintain as much social media privacy as you can, not just for your personal safety, but for your family as well.

If keeping a low social media presence is not enough to guarantee your security, World Protection Group can help you. We provide only the best executive protection agents for your security needs. Get in touch with us and let us help plan your safety.

This post is also available in: Chinese (Simplified)