Digital Footprint a Danger to Your Safety, Loved Ones

Have you ever wondered about the kind of people who can correctly predict your daily routines and what they can do with that information?

Well, if you share too much information on social media, then this is for you.

If you have never put thought to what happens when you become too predictable, then you may be exposing yourself to risks that could have otherwise been avoided.

1. Kidnapping

Kidnappers will often study your habits and this means tailing you and following you to learn your habits before they pounce. While this is the hard part for them, you make it easier for kidnappers when you post every activity you’re engaged in on social media.

With people whose lives are lived on the internet, they become easy targets since those planning the kidnaps already know your way of life.

Also read: How a SIM-card Registration Threatens Your Privacy

For a kidnapper, tracking you online is the best and easiest way for them to get what they want. Keep the sharing at a minimum to avoid unnecessary ordeals.

This is especially important when it comes to children.

Splashing photos of your children in school uniform, how they get to and leave school and other details expose the little ones to those who may want to use them as leverage. It is best to keep the walls around your family privacy firm to protect yourself from pain and hurt.

2. Theft

There are people who get robbed and wonder how precise the robbers were.

For instance, if you share all the details of your life online, chances are that those who access it may use it against you. Imagine sharing about a holiday that you are taking and on returning home, you find your house swept clean.

If you wonder how the thugs knew you were away, it is because of what you kept sharing online.

With the information you share, they could even convince neighbours that they are at your home with your permission for whatever reason.

See: How James Mwangi Taps 20-Year-Olds to Make Billions

The details you share enable people to become part of your life and in such instances, even your neighbours may not know when you are being attacked or robbed.

3. Identity Theft

When it comes to the internet, the least you share the better and the converse is true.

The more you share online the more those tracking you know. You are also more at risk of identity theft when you live your life online.

While this case is multi-layered, all it takes is for you to lose some documents that have your details and boom, those trailing you become you!

If for instance a thief manages to get your financial info, they can easily create dummy documents which could be used to steal from you.

For your safety, the best is to always limit what you share and only share that which does not specifically point out your routines.

In conclusion, being secretive does not hurt and you can share your moments with people who are close to you without having to let the whole world know.

Some platforms allow you to share your moments with selected people and if you really have to share it online, you can use this tool to ensure that your moments are only shared with people you know.

Read >> How Safe is Your Personal Data?