By Dana Smith, Information Security Practitioner, BCD Travel
Here are eight ways to play it safer with social media on business and personal trips. (Disclaimer: This advice may not fully apply to certain professions, e.g., social media managers and event managers, due to the nature of their roles.)
DON’T post specifics about your travel plans.
Sharing travel dates, flight information, or destination information online, can expose travelers to multiple risks – including identity theft, property theft, and personal threat.
DO share your travel plans privately and safely with personal/emergency contacts.
On business trips, refer to your company’s travel policy and safety guidelines for sharing your travel itinerary with the right people. TripSource by BCD Travel allows users to share trip details with others, keeping them updated on trip progress and changes.
DO disable location services on your phone.
Phone location services work by gathering and using information based on the device’s location. The services run continuously and may be detectable by common location trackers. Turning location functions off when not needed may provide travelers an additional layer of privacy or security.
DON’T check in at locations while you’re still at them.
Check-in functions on social platforms allow users to bring followers along on journeys and capture memories from places and experiences. It’s tempting to announce your whereabouts in real time; but save the check-ins until after you’ve left a location – unless you need to do so for work.
DO tighten up on tagging settings.
Change your social media settings to prevent posts you’re tagged in from automatically showing on your profiles. Tags can be used to find you or determine that you’re away from home. You can also adjust your settings to limit who can view your profile and posts. Keep your content as private as possible.
DON’T post about your trip until you’re safely back home.
The less information you share publicly, the harder it is for someone to commit crimes against you.
DO use scheduling tools for posts while you’re away.
Consider using scheduling software to create content now and post later. That way, you can write about the experience while it’s still fresh and post when it’s safer to do so.
DO change your profile passwords regularly.
Use password generator apps, strong passwords or pass phrases that you can remember – then change them regularly. Make it hard for hackers to guess their way into your accounts.
