Status Updates – Where You Are…And Where You Aren’t

Status Updates – Where You Are…And Where You Aren't

 

 

Account    Miami Business Networking

 

Going forward with my blog for ALC Risk Solutions I am going to start blogging about different things people can do to mitigate their risks and their business's risks. As an insurance agent my job is to analyze what a company is doing, and try to figure to out how to control their risks a variety of ways. The easiest way is risk transference; this is done by purchasing insurance. But, the cheapest and most effective ways are risk mitigation, and risk avoidance. You cannot simply avoid all risks, but there are a few things you may not have thought about that you can do, and can stop doing to lower your risks.

The first thing is regarding social networking. Social networks like Facebook and Twitter are great ways to communicate with friends, reconnect with old friends, and promote your business. You promote your business through status updates, and sharing notes and comments about your everyday life. The problem occurs when you start telling people where you are through these status updates. Blackberrys and iPhones have made it very easy to update everyone, but I really caution everyone to stop updating where they aren't.

For example, if you tweet, "On my way to the Miami Hurricanes game". You've told anyone that wants to know, that you are probably not going to be home for another 4 hours. A crook could use an application such as Tweet Deck to update them whenever anyone on Saturday says they are going to the game. They could then find your name, and do a search on the property appraisal's website. If you are a homeowner, they now know where you live. And thanks to your tweet, they know you aren't there.

Status updates aren't the only way to tell people where you are. Twit Pic and uploading pictures to facebook from your mobile phone can also give it away. My recommendation is to keep your tweets from divulging your location, and keep your Facebook and MySpace Pages private. I will have more Risk Mitigation tips coming soon regarding why to keep your facebook page private. You can find out more about ALC Risk Solutions at www.alcrisk.com and you can email me, Andrew Cohn at acohn@alcrisk.com or call, (786) 664-7475.