What Information Your Online Post Can Give Away

Posting on social media is a behavior that falls between two extremes: 

– Not posting at all

– Posting too much

Not sharing anything on social media keeps your life and personal information private (excluding the data that social media platforms collect). Sharing too much on social media can make you annoying, and some people might unfollow you, while cybercriminals will adore you.

Striking a balance is tricky. However, paying attention to what information your online posts can give away might make you more careful of what you share.

Daily Routines

You might be super proud of your daily 7 a.m. workout. And if you’ve been doing it consistently for a while, you might post a selfie, a pic of how many calories you burned, or a snapshot of the trail you ran on Strava. That’s perfectly fine if you share it with an accountability buddy or a few friends. But what if a stalker or a thief sees it?

The same applies to posting a picture of your favorite Starbucks coffee or checking in with your workout outfit. Criminals will know you’re away from home and where to find you.

Travel Plans

Writing “Bahamas, here I come!” on a picture of your passport makes a great Instagram story. Every influencer does it, so you might want to jump in on the trend. But instead of bragging about going to the Bahamas, you’re practically saying, “I’ll be thousands of miles away from home for the next two weeks. Please come break into my apartment.”

If you’re going on a long trip or a weekend getaway, save your photos and post them after you come back. It’s not as exciting as getting replies while you’re on vacation, but at least you’re protected and not advertising that you’re away from home.

Location Data

There’s no good reason to use live location tagging when posting online. Some apps do it automatically, so you must be careful and turn it off. The same rule applies to sharing your phone number and actual address. If you make them public, there’s no telling who can access your personal data.

Giveaways

Social media is a breeding ground for giveaways. Whether someone wants a spike in followers or engagement or to promote a scam, giveaways are the first option. From a user perspective, you need to click on a link or share a post to enter, and you could win $100 or something worth way more.

Hackers know that most people are attracted to a chance to win something. So, they create fake sites to find out your IP address or ask for personal details. Because they know how to track an IP address, they can see your online activity, impersonate you, perform DDoS attacks, view your location, or hack you.

Rants and Complaints

Your boss made you stay late, one of your coworkers stole your lunch, and your relatives made fun of you for being single. We all experience situations that make us want to scream from the top of our lungs. However, there are better places to air our complaints, rants, and grievances than social media.

Companies often do background checks before they hire you. When you think of making the switch, you might get hit with a review of your online rants. Instead of releasing your anger online, get a private journal, talk to your friends, a therapist, or even an AI companion like ChatGPT.

Expensive Gifts/ Purchases

Your new TV, phone, car, laptop, or beastly gaming PC shouldn’t be on social media. Whether you bought it yourself or got it as a gift, some people would commit heinous crimes to be in your shoes.

Imagine you won the lottery and posted the winning ticket on your story. In a matter of minutes, people would be running to your front door to take it from you. In other people’s minds, you might be well-off since you can afford so many “new toys.” That’s just one of the effects of social media.

Advice

Social media is not the place to share medical, legal, or any other type of advice, even if you’re a licensed professional. Imagine someone asking for a remedy for irritable bowel syndrome, and you tell them what worked for you. But in their case, it could make the situation worse. Then, they may blame you for it and want to pursue legal action.

Anything else that shouldn’t be public

This last tip is for everything else you shouldn’t post. You should approach social media as a stage where the entire world can see what you want to say. When you hit “Post,” it’s almost impossible to remove it completely. There’s no way to know who will screenshot, save, or share your post with someone else. Don’t share anything you wouldn’t want to be put on the front page of a magazine.