Before you post that pic of you and your family on Spring Break, think again, says the Allstate Insurance Company of Canada. It has launched a ‘Hold That Travel Selfie!’ public awareness campaign to inform Canadians about the risks of oversharing their travel plans and experiences with friends and family through social media networks.
In a new survey commissioned by Allstate, almost one in three Canadians who are active on social media said they post content about their vacation plans online, before or during their trip.
The proportion who post before or during a trip is higher among Canadians 18-34 years of age (46 per cent), households with children (36 per cent) and those who plan on going away on vacation for spring break (45 per cent). Sharing that you're away from could expose your home to a break-in, warns Allstate.
“We get it, a vacation is exciting and it’s tempting to share that excitement on social media. Unfortunately, depending on the security settings of your social media accounts, posting details about your vacation also announces in a public forum that your home is empty and, in some cases, for how long. This can increase the risk of a break-in while you’re away,” says Gene Myles, Agency Manager at Allstate Canada.
“We’re asking Canadians to think twice before posting a picture of their plane ticket, or that quintessential beach selfie, until after they return home. That post may be just as impactful with your network after your travels and it can help keep your property safe.”
Online Safety Advice for Canadian Travellers
Allstate offers social media advice for Canadian travellers:
- Hold off on posting that selfie until you return from vacation. This includes sharing details on social media platforms before and during your trip.
- Check the privacy and security settings of your social media accounts, and review who has access to your personal information. Even if you have set rigid privacy settings for your social media accounts, it's still possible for others to view what you post through the accounts of friends and followers.
- Review pictures previously posted on your profiles and remove any information someone might use to find your home address, such as house or apartment numbers and street names that can sometimes be found in the background of photos. And avoid posting photos with geotagging as it can reveal your location in real time.
For more travel-related online safety advice, visit https://blog.allstate.ca/safe-social-media-travel.
