Social Media Compromises New Jersey Security Measures

The easiest time to compromise residential security is when your family is on vacation. This seems to be particularly true in New Jersey. After all, there have been a number of high-profile cases of thieves specifically targeting homes while the families were on vacation. For this reason, there is a great deal of local emphasis on proper New Jersey security and how to prepare a home for vacations, outings and appointments.

The Social Media Effect

The emphasis is good, but it tends to be limited to some old-fashioned views about what the various threats are. It isn't simply a matter of arming your security alarms and scheduling pick up for your mail and newspapers anymore. In fact, one of the greatest modern risks is social networking. For many families, social networking is how they keep in touch, but the information shared there can be used by a criminal to undermine your New Jersey security system while you're enjoying Europe or the Caribbean. Keep in mind that the majority of burglaries are committed by someone who knows the victim.

Facebook and Other Social Networks

The biggest threat comes from Facebook and similar online networks. There's a great deal of casual conversation that takes place between families and friends, and there's a lot of opportunity for that information to be exposed. Even if you're careful, the people on your friends list may not be. In New Jersey, there have already been a number of cases of criminals using Facebook to disable security alarms or undermine New Jersey security in some other way.

Twitter and Other Social Media Platforms

Twitter can be a threat as well. If you have an active Twitter feed that a criminal is able to connect to you in real life, then he/she could use that against you. It doesn't even have to be an active mistake. If your Twitter feed goes dry in July after being active every day all year, then that could be an indication that you're on vacation. For this reason, it's a great idea to have a guest keep up appearances.

Forums and Other Online Venues

The same threats exist on online forums and similar venues as well. This is particularly true when you maintain a public persona, which is very common for auto clubs, hunting clubs, gaming clubs and so forth. If you need to alert forum-mates to an upcoming absence, then limit that correspondence to personal messages rather than public posts.

Monitor Children

Children are probably the greatest kink in a parent's armor. Children tend to have no real sense of the dangers present online, and they can undermine even the best security alarms in a heartbeat. Have a talk with them and emphasize the importance of being private. It's also necessary that you keep up with their online behavior and ensure that they're not distributing sensitive information.

Discuss the Issues with Family and Friends

Finally, take some time to mention it to family and friends. Make sure that they don't mention your absense online. You can feel free to distribute photos while on a trip, but do so only to an inner circle. Any public distribution should not happen until you've returned home.