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Are you really on vacation if you don’t post updates to your social media account the entire time you’re away? Will people not know you have the coolest job and boss ever if you’re not TikTokking, Facebooking, and Instagramming during your business trip?
People are dying to see your pictures, I know. They won’t sleep until learning about what attractions you visited that day, how #blessed you are, where you enjoyed happy hour and a beautiful sunset, and all that #YOLO! stuff.
I get it. I run a blog about travel and loyalty program points/miles. Part of my writers’ and my job is to post stories and social media fodder about where we visited, why it’s awesome, and how we afforded it with our points and certificates.
It’s exciting to share pictures and updates with everyone as soon as possible when you travel.
Sure, your friends and family (probably) want to hear all about the great time you’re having. But some other people do, too.
You’re Where? And For How Long?
“Hey, I’m going out of town for a few days. Keep an eye on my house, would ya? I’m not expecting any movers or furniture removal services!”
That’s what one of my neighbors says to me every time she goes on vacation. That’s her way of saying If you see someone taking stuff from my house, it’s news to me and probably a burglary. Call the police.
I live in a relatively safe neighborhood. (Although, joining neighborhood crime chats and Facebook groups can make you believe you live in O’Block on Chicago’s South Side.) But we aren’t immune to an increasing crime rate — including burglaries. I know several people whose homes were burglarized. One of them was out of town.
I avoid posting anything live on social media while we’re away from our house and no one’s home. I don’t want anyone knowing no one’s there. Why?
“One of (thieves’) latest tactics is eyeing our TikTok updates, new Insta pics and Facebook family updates for signs our homes are vulnerable,” writes CNET’s Tyler Lacoma. (It’s a great post, I highly recommend it.)
Peter Suciu of Forbes adds, “Criminals are essentially finding their targets, and even ‘casing’ the victims’ residents (sic) by watching the posts made on social media. While the targets have largely been high-profile influencers and online celebrities, experts warn that anyone can become a victim by ‘oversharing’ on social media platforms.
It’s kind of like a hi-tech version of what Harry Lime does at the beginning of Home Alone.
I’ve heard other icky tales about people who geotag their every location — and that can be a fantastic way to alert predators as to who is staying at what resorts, etc. It’s easy to search locations on social media (i.e., the “near me” or “around me” features, searching for specific restaurants, resorts, etc). Some complete whacko stranger might take a fancy to some random person they see online — and know exactly where to find him or her. (That’s terrifying.)
I guess all it takes is a little going down the digital rabbit hole and these criminals can figure out who’s where, when, and for how long. (Posting about your trip ahead of time is probably not the best idea.)
Most of my personal social media accounts are private. Even still, that can be a risk. I don’t post much to social media anymore because it’s practically a requirement that your picture, video, or update include some crass, hateful political message, too.
(Matthew from Live and Let’s Fly did an interesting live blog-style trip report — after he returned from a trip. You can do the same thing after your trip. Or, heck, even during your flight home if you can’t wait that long.)
I occasionally post live updates during trips or other outings. It’s fun meeting blog readers and fellow travel enthusiasts who might be in the same airport lounge or city! But I only do that when someone’s at my house, whether it’s our dog sitter, friends, or family. For the most part, my friends, family, and I text each other updates and images during trips. Those are the people we’re excited to share with, anyway.
Do you live post about your out of town adventures?
Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. This relationship may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Reader comments reflect the views of the individuals who wrote them, are not reviewed or endorsed by Eye of the Flyer or by any advertiser, and should not be treated as advice. Some links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.
No live postings. Trip experience and pictures only when back home & in house. No posting pics of expensive items like camera gear or watches. Less is more !