Holiday Happenings

Be smart with social media while traveling

Posted: Dec 26, 2012 2:25 PM by Chet Layman
Updated: Dec 26, 2012 3:51 PM

Sheriff Status Check: Deputy Don Peterson on social media safety

BOZEMAN - Social media has become a part of any travel plans for many of us, but information posted on these sites, in the wrong hands, could leave your home the possibility of becoming a crime scene.

On social media sites, a picture is not only worth a thousand words, but also, potentially thousands of dollars.

The holidays are a time to travel, and many of us will post photos or notes from those trips on some form of social media, but that might not be a great idea.

"With the cold weather, going somewhere else, going on vacation, (we) just kind of want to remind everybody that it's probably not something you want to put on your social media, because people see that. They know you're not home; it's a great time to come burglarize your house," Gallatin County Sheriff's Department Deputy Don Peterson said.

Friends back home love to see immediate photos from that trip to Hawaii, but remember that everyone else sees those too.

"If you're in Hawaii, maybe post those pictures when you get home, not while you're there, saying 'great day in Hawaii, wish you were here, won't be back until January 17.' That tells everybody that's going to see that, that they've got until the 17th to get in to your house and get all of your Christmas presents," Peterson said.

He also noted that Facebook has good safeguards if you read the privacy statement. He says when it come to social media, the world is small, and some friends are not all that friendly.

"I don't know who your friends are and you may not know who your friends are. There's a lot of people that someone asks them to be their friend and they're like, sure and they just click "OK" and now they're friends with that person and they may not be friends with that person in real life," Peterson said.

He also noted that parents should have this conversation with their children who may be posting notes, and remember to remove the location stamp from your posts.

Peterson told us there is an increase in burglaries around the holidays, many of which could be prevented with a little common sense.