Don’t share everything online
23 Jan 2018
Social media is a great way to share everything from those tranquil moments in your garden, to your greatest adventures, however some things are better shared in a private message or over a cup of coffee, (or maybe not at all). Here are some things to keep in mind when planning your next post.
Travel plans
Arranging and embarking on a holiday is exciting, and it’s not unusual for social media to be flooded with photos and commentary from other people’s travels. It’s an easy way for you to show your loved ones what you’re up to and let them know that you’re ok.
However, it’s becoming increasingly common for potential thieves to take advantage of people’s social media activity.
To ensure your safety, avoid sharing your itinerary and location on social media.
What’s in a barcode?
If you still want to share your journey in real time, you may at least want to rethink uploading that photo of your boarding pass. Already, the intimate details of your flight and destination are printed clearly on the ticket, but that’s not all you have to be weary of.
The barcode is a treasure trove of information, containing the your name and flight details, as well as your frequent flyer number, and can potentially give people access to current and future flights, credit card details, and information about the people who booked the flight. This information can be easily accessed by someone using a barcode reader on the internet.
Personal details: How much are you really giving away?
Social media is becoming increasingly cunning in the way that it obtains information.
It will excitedly show you around the site and show you exactly where and how to add everything about you. However, all it really needs to function is a name, email address, and password. You don’t even have to give it your full or correct name. This may make you a bit more challenging to find, but it also helps you maintain your privacy.
Your activities will also say a lot about you, and things as seemingly harmless as showing your last name or old pictures of your first pet could easily give away passwords or the answers to secret questions protecting your online and bank accounts.
Private information or photos
We’ve all had a moment where our stomach drops and we realise that a photo or a personal comment we meant to share in private has actually been posted to someone’s wall or in someone’s newsfeed for the whole world to see.
Unless you know that the people you’re posting to or about are ok with having things publicly available, it’s best to save that funny story, embarrassing photo, or support for a loved one who is struggling private.
Medical misinformation
Fake News is a term that’s been thrown around a lot over the past couple of years, and it’s not just limited to stories about Trump. Many false posts boasting miracle cures for cancer through diet and natural therapies, or the dangers of vaccines have been circulating facebook for years, and it can sometimes be tempting to share them.
However these posts are often misleading and either unsupported, unverified, or refuted by scientific evidence.
Sharing these posts can be harmful to your own health and wellbeing, as well as that of your loved ones and can affect the way you perceive or receive treatments. These kinds of posts may also cause distress to people who are going through or have experienced health problems such as cancer, and know these things to be incorrect.
Before sharing that interesting or ‘important’ post, it is best to do some extra research to ensure that the information is sound and to keep you and your loved ones safe.
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