“Think before you Tweet” could become the newest slogan for law enforcement, with more people than ever sharing sensitive information via social media.
Popular social networking platforms such as Facebook and Twitter help people stay in touch with friends, but they also allow personal information to spread quickly to unintended recipients. A Tweet about weekend plans or a post saying you’re out to lunch with friends may seem innocuous, but could signal criminals that your home is or will be vacant for a time.
Recently a Web site, www.pleaserobme.com, aggregated such Twitter posts to show the dangers of posting location-based messages. The Twitter post feature of the Web site since has been taken down, but the message remains.
Sgt. Jerri Weary, a Chattanooga Police Department spokeswoman, said police have not begun tracking factors such as social media in relation to burglaries, but she advised residents to be mindful of the information they choose to share on the Internet.
“It definitely isn’t a good idea to share that kind of info,” she said. “But for someone to take advantage of someone in that manner, there has to be some connecting factors outside of social networking.”