When people talk about how technology is bad, they’re almost always talking about how there’s good-for-nothing information on the net, or how people stop talking face to face because they facebook instead. But I’m more scared by the continuous access we provide to our daily doings online. I’m scared of Twitter.
Privacy on the net
A growing number of people are now posting everything about themselves in facebook status updates and twitter updates. Including where they are right now. And if people know where you are, it also means they know where you’re not… at home!
Don’t waste time leaving the lights on
Whenever my family heads out on any vacation, we always leave some lights on. It makes sure that people don’t see an empty home ripe for robbing.
We don’t tell anyone either, except a neighbour (who we completely trust) so that they can check in once in a while. Other people stop their subscriptions to any magazines or newspapers so that there isn’t a pile of newspapers out front to show that no one is inside to collect them.
We take all these precautions and all it takes is for someone to check twitter and see the words “With my family catching the sunset in the Philippines!” or “Cairo is really hot…” and they know that you’re out and you’re home is nice and empty.
GPS phones make it worse
Did you know you can update twitter and facebook from phones now? And if you choose to, they’ll even include your location!
Check out PleaseRobMe.com and see how many people have that option enabled. Here’s a quote from their website.
The danger is publicly telling people where you are. This is because it leaves one place you’re definitely not… home. So here we are; on one end we’re leaving lights on when we’re going on a holiday, and on the other we’re telling everybody on the Internet we’re not home.
It gets even worse if you have “friends” who want to colonize your house. That means they have to enter your address, to tell everyone where they are. Your address… on the Internet… Now you know what to do when people reach for their phone as soon as they enter your home. That’s right, slap them across the face.
– PleaseRobMe.com
Yes people, advertise that you’re not home.
But it’s not just that: Everything on the internet stays there
Make a post about how you hate work. Or what you did on your weekend. Or maybe it’s your friend who makes that post and tags you in a compromising photo. Like one that shows you going rock climbing when you told your boss you were sick with the flu.
Whatever is posted on the internet will get up there and stay there. And your employer may very well find it if they just google your name. Do you know that some companies now force you to add your boss to your facebook profile? They want to make sure you’re not hurting the image of the company.
And if they do find out and you plan to change jobs? The new company you apply at may very well do a google search on you too. You know, just to make sure you’re not a convicted criminal or anything. But instead, that embarrassing blogpost comes up about the time you complained about your company and told all your friends not to buy their products. And the new company goes, “I need a team player, not a whiner”, and they don’t hire you.
Maybe I’m just being paranoid
I could be paranoid. It wouldn’t be the first time. I’m usually very paranoid about my privacy. So please don’t EVER post anything that resembles my address online.