Should you be using social media on holidays? Is it safe to share on social media when you’re traveling? Here are some tips to help you navigate using social media – and do you actually need to use it – while you’re on holidays.
You know that magic holiday feeling…you’re laying under palm trees in a tropical paradise, the sun is beaming and the kids are playing in the pool. You’ve got a cocktail in hand and you are having the Best Holiday Ever. It’s so incredible you just can’t rest until you share it and show everyone you know just how amazing your life is right now. So you reach for the phone and within minutes your fabulous holiday selfie is broadcast across your socials. Now you can really relax.
Maybe not though, because while sharing your holiday can seem like innocent fun – and it’s so easy to do – there are real risks with using social media while you’re away from home, risks that many of us haven’t really thought through.
The most worrying is that if you’re posting in real time you may be letting anyone – strangers, robbers! – know that you’re not at home, which to some can be an invitation to pay a visit to your house. And with everything on social media these days, it’s pretty easy to find out where you live.
And you’re not only telling people where you’re not, you’re telling them where you are. If you can’t guarantee you know every single person who sees your posts, then you really shouldn’t be telling them where you – and your children – are holidaying, especially if you’re at an overseas destination.
Let’s not forget the biggest risk of all – that you’ll miss making memories of your precious time on holidays with the family because you’re busy scrolling, posting and commenting. You might go home with pretty pictures, but a family holiday is so much more than the number of likes it gets on social media.
Here are some tips for staying safe on social media while traveling, and of course the first – and best – is to just turn it off and enjoy the moment.
Turn your social media off!
Why not go old school and enjoy a social media free holiday? Try no phones, no apps, and just a good old fashioned vacay with the fam, where you’re present and engaged. If you have to take your phone with you, you can disable access to your apps in settings, or you can schedule downtime during the day. You can always override it, but just having that reminder when you reach for your phone stops those sneaky one-minute scrolls that turn into hours down a rabbit hole.
Don’t post photos of boarding passes
Boarding passes can make a fun departure photo, but they disclose information about you and where you’re going. It’s not just your name – the barcode and reference number can be enough to discover other information, like your passport number, booking details and home address.
Don’t reveal your location in real time.
The internet is a very open, anonymous place and you never know who is watching you and how great their interest is in you. Sharing where you are in real time not only makes you vulnerable to people who may wish to join you on your trip, you could become a target for robbery or worse.
If you are posting other non-holiday photos or commenting on posts, turn off your location services / turn on aeroplane mode in your phone so your location isn’t tagged.
Stay private.
If you know absolutely everyone who can see your account and they are only family and close friends, then set your account to private and keep on chatting. This way if you want to keep them up to date with your trip you can share with this specific group and it doesn’t go out to people you may not know. Another way is to create a group message so you know exactly who your photos and information is going to.
Only use secure wifi.
If you have to use social media, then be careful about using the many free wifi options that can pop up at places like airports and shopping centres. They’re often set up by scammers to access your details and data once you connect. When you’re overseas it’s best to use a VPN – a Virtual Private Network – when you’re on social media.
As tempting as it is to show off an incredible holiday in real time, the best way to enjoy your holiday is to put the tools down and make precious memories while you’re completely engaged with your family. It’s taken me time to re-learn how to holiday without it again, and it’s the best thing I’ve done.
