But I fear that one day soon, criminals will discover that Twitter is one of the best places to find empty houses vulnerable to a break-in, or Twitterers who make it easy for them to commit far more serious crimes.
I expect to see lots of details in tweets about what people are doing in their jobs because using Twitter for business and publicity is just plain smart.
But I’m amazed at some of the personal details people include. Like announcing they’re closing up the house and leaving for two weeks in the Florida Keys. Or visiting San Francisco for a three-day conference. Or saying good-bye to their cabin on the southeast corner of such-and-such a lake and heading back home.
I’m guilty of tweeting that I’d be in Las Vegas last week for two days, but our house wasn’t vacant at the time. Had it been empty, I wouldn’t have let the world know that.
With the number of social networking sites multipying daily, it wouldn’t take a savvy criminal long to put two and two together and go hunting for our profiles and…well…you know the rest. Just look what the slimeballs have been able to accomplish with phishing and identity theft.
What about you? Do you police yourself so you don’t share too much information? Do you know of guidelines anywhere that that discuss the kinds of details we should or shouldn’t include in our tweets?
Or am I just being paranoid?
Joan, I don’t think you’re being paranoid. I think many people aren’t “paranoid” enough about this kind of stuff. I won’t even use my real street address to sign up for accounts on websites that require it — even when the address supposedly won’t be publicly viewable.
No I don’t think you’re being paranoid. I think people forget that not everyone out there in cyberspace is your very best friend who wants to know about your next trip simply because they’ll miss you.
Twittering, blogging etc is not the same as “Dear Diary”! I think many people would do well to hold back on a lot of the personal stuff.
There already are people doing this I am sure. It has just not broken on to the news yet.
I think the benefits of Twitter outweigh that risk.
What a great point. Web 2.0 is a wonderful thing for entrepreneurs but even better for sleaze balls. When I first told my husband about Twitter, after looking at me like I have three heads he asked if it was designed by stalkers.
Interesting point. It’s a shame that you can’t time delay tweets for later like with blogs so you can hide the fact you’re on twitter.
You betcha! The very same thoughts have crossed my mind as well.
No way should people put those kinds of personal details out there for just anyone to see, especially women. Social Networking can be a great tool, but it should always be utilized with personal safety in mind first.
Joan –
Thanks so much for bringing this up! I had not thought of it at all, but you make an outstanding point. I’m just getting comfortable tweeting myself… so I am keeping things very simple, but I’m glad that you brought that concern to my attention.
Stephanie
I agree with LGR that we probably already have some jerks out there. I don’t think living in fear of criminals is a good enough reason to stay off social networking sites or Twitter. Instead, just be extra careful with your information and who you’re allowing access.
On all the social networking sites (the legit ones, at least) you can choose a level of privacy. You can do the same with Twitter (“only allow my followers to see my tweets”). When I post I always ask myself if this update/ tweet/ info is general enough for everyone.
You know Joan, I never would have thought of that. I guess I’m still too trusting. I’m glad you mentioned it though as now I will be more careful.
I do broadcast where I’m traveling on Twitter sometimes, but I’m careful — my house isn’t unattended or empty when that happens. But I can also imagine some resourceful criminals using the service to ID potential victims.
I really appreciated this commentary because just yesterday, when replying to an evite, I had put that my husband and I would be away the day of the event. Then I thought: What am I doing? Who knows what kind of people have access to this evite? So I changed my response to simply not being able to attend. And I’ll tell the event giver in person why I can’t attend.
As someone who had a security clearance years ago when I worked for U.S. Army military intelligence, I always try to be very careful of what information I’m “flashing” to people. For example, if I’m at the car wash and reading my Wall Street Journal, I remove the address label from the front page. Better safe than sorry should be everyone’s motto. So this warning is very welcome.
I can’t believe people put so much personal info on the web. I wrote a book about the dangers of this back in 1997! How can people be afraid to put their credit card info online, but freely tell people the innermost details of their personal lives??? It doesn’t make sense.
Just look at some of the things that have happened to kids who have put way too much on, for example, Facebook. The pedophiles knew exactly how to hone in on the vulnerable. Any private information should be just that.
hmmm….interesting. I have just been posting general concepts. Like I’m reading this book , working on that project, or recyling my trash. I did just list an art retreat I am going to….but others will be at home. It’s a good thing to think about, and use caution, as one would with anything. Most tools improperly used can cause harm in some way or another.
Excellent post, Joan. All good stuff to think about. In this day and age with social media, instant messaging, twittering (with who knows how many following), it’s good to be prudent with the type of information you post.
I’m overly cautious – or at least very aware – so while I post contact information on line I’m careful not to mention any vacations or business trips until I return. That way I can post audio/video/photos of the trip and hit the highlights.
I just posted about this at my blog! I’ve been concerned about online safety. I can police myself, but I can’t police my relatives and friends who write about me and my family. So, I tried to educate them at my blog.
http://hollytriedit.blogspot.com/2008/06/internet-blogging-safety-tips.html
People get excited that they are making new friends on social networks and they just forget basic principles.
Very good advice!
You are so right, Joan! Back over twenty years ago, when our local paper printed the date of our wedding, I hired a sitter for the house in case some sleaze thought that would be a good break-in time.
I’ve been aware of the danger ever since.
I only use a PO Box for an address, and if they want a street address, I call it Success Way. All your readers are successful, so that’s a good address for any of us!
You are so smart to be cautious. These days, it’s not just the teenagers and college kids telling all on their My Space page. We all need to exercise discretion, just as we caution our PR clients to do.
Just like #19, I use a private mailing address (a UPS store) for my mail and packages, even my personal stuff.
We’re on the same wavelength, Joan. Just a few days before you made this post, I was wondering if I should be telling the world what I’m doing. I work out of a home office, but leave throughout the day to see clients…..and I’ve been posting to the world when I’ve left my house unattended! Sheesh. Shoulda known better. Like many other posters here, I too use a postal service for my business mail–but still I’ll be much more careful about what I divulge on Twitter as to my whereabouts !
Becky
>>>>Do you police yourself so you don’t share too much information?>>>>
Always. Maybe because I’m a New Yorker. Maybe because before I was a career coach, I was a human resources executive.
I believe we should all develop “second nature protections” –
– women should wear their purses across their bodies
– always lock your home and car doors
– don’t make money pledges on the telephone (send checks to organizations you know)
and
– share information on a “need to know” basis only…even with friends and mothers !
[…] Protected or not, it is a bad idea to post personal information, (like your contact details, calendar or itinerary, and/ or names of people you spend time with), that makes it easier for strangers to track you down (or rob your house while you are out). […]
[…] like Twitter, where some people bare all, could be a criminal’s best friend. Here and elsewhere online, I never let people know when I’m leaving the house if […]
Joan,
Not paranoid at all, IMHO. After all, if criminals read obituaries so they can strike vacant houses during funerals, they can certainly monitor all-too-public social networking sites. We all have to make our own decisions about what’s too personal; I choose not to post pictures of my child on Facebook–and I offer few details about her on sites such as Twitter–because I link these sites to my business. That may, indeed, be paranoid, but there are enough threats out there to make me exceedingly cautious, particularly when it concerns my child.