Posting on social media after making a big purchase or while on holiday is a common trend, but doing so could open the door to criminals targeting specific people and homes to burgle. Smart home tech is the answer.
According to research from home furnishings company Hillarys, four in five people boast about going on holiday on social media. Half of the population show off their expensive purchases online and half also geo-tag their locations. The proportion of geo-tags increases to 79% among those on holiday. However, this behaviour increases the chances that these people will be burgled.
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At the end of 2018, there was a string of burglaries targeting celebrities in Los Angeles, leading to the arrests of 13 members of a South L.A. gang. They followed different celebs’ social media pages and then targeted those that they knew were away from home. While celebs will have a much larger social media following than others, this still highlights the opportunity that posting to social media presents to would-be criminals.
Technology presents an interesting opportunity for people to protect their homes. Wireless, Wi-Fi-enabled security cameras allow homeowners to monitor their homes from anywhere on the globe. Smart home management systems also allow homeowners to remotely control their door locks, lights, and other features. This technology has yet to penetrate the mass market, with less than a third of homes in the UK having this tech in place, but its popularity increases among wealthier individuals.
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By GlobalData
There is still some concern around the cybersecurity of these connected devices, but once manufacturers reduce their cyber risk to a low enough level, they have the potential to reduce burglaries and allow people to post on social media with less concern.
