Online social networks provide a way to share memories with one’s friends and family instantly, but are you also sharing the easiest way for thieves to “case” your property and monitor your loved ones?The initial concern for personal safety involves gleaning information people share — both willingly and inadvertently — on social media sites. You know that post about the TV you got for a near steal? You just alerted criminals about their next potential steal the moment that post went live. It’s becoming even easier for criminals to pinpoint you and your property.The danger is not confined to what’s immediately visible in social media posts; it’s also the unseen “metadata” in photos and videos that have increased the danger significantly.Geotag riskBefore, a criminal would have had to previously determine that a person was a reasonable target and monitor social media accounts for a while to glean an opportunity — such as a vacation post. However, through the use of digital location data now regularly embedded in photo and video files, it’s easier and faster for someone to “case” your property and whereabouts, right down to your coordinates.Photos taken with GPS-equipped smartphones often contain metadata, also known as geotags, which record the longitude and latitude of where the image was taken. This type of metadata presents a privacy risk since it stores information that is not immediately apparent to the casual user. When the document is made publicly available, the information, although it may not be visible, is included as well.According to security experts, geotags are usually enabled on photos taken with smartphones. Very often videos include this information as well. In many cases, these devices automatically record such data, and the user must disable the capability themselves.Security analysts warn that the issues involving photographs and video laden with digital location-specific metadata are amplified due to several other recent developments. The volume of photos and video publicly available makes it easier for criminals to systematically take inventory of your valuables and gather information about you.Your apps are part of the problem, too. The proliferation of multiple location-based services has made it possible to correlate the raw information in a generalized search with an extreme degree of accuracy. Criminals can then figure out your daily routine, who lives at home, and what they could expect to find while you’re away, from firearms to the jewelry that’s shown in your photos.The best defense for users is to be aware that such information exists and take steps to lock down privacy settings and rethink what’s posted or shared on social media. Being cautious about what information you share online extends to having awareness of information that may not be directly visible and being selective about who you interact with on social networking services.Cyber Security Action Plan Review each social media site you use and make sure privacy settings are updated. Inventory every family member’s smartphone to make sure the device settings don’t share your location or that applications have more access to your privacy than you would like. Discuss with your children what’s OK to share and what’s not, and why they are vulnerable.C.J. Schexnayder is a researcher who keeps tabs on social media dangers for his family, who often don’t have the time to keep up with the latest threats and scams.
