I live in a Bizarro World where the city doesn’t permit drive-thrus, tall grass blades and unearthly-painted houses. The children of this bubble are expected to stare at their computer screens rather than their windows as a basis of connecting with the outside world. The same goes for the rest of the country.
This false sense of security is conniving because internet surveillance is theoretically unlimited (and a passed law in some countries, like with Finland’s dead letter Lex Nokia). The CIA’s Open Source Center worries about overseas public sentiment through social media. Artists worry about copyright infringement in lieu of Creative Commons licenses. Meanwhile, robbers concern themselves about the weekend you leave for Las Vegas.
According to personal finance website Credit Sesame’s latest report, 80 percent of the surveyed 50 ex-burglars from the United Kingdom said they had used social media, which included Facebook and Foursquare to specifically target properties to rob.
Technology is well on its way to making the world accessible at the touch of our fingers. Even the NYPD uses a social media unit to catch criminals.
To combat unwarranted attention, it’s best to refrain from announcing your absence over social media. Let this be a friendly reminder to think before you post. You’re not the only eyes monitoring your computer monitor, mobile device or other technology. It’s a symbiotic relationship.
(via Credit Sesame)