Personal Security - Don't expose yourself on social media

Your personal security can best be monitored by yourself. However, the lure of social media, often makes us forget about the dangers we are exposed to in our society.

How many people would stop a stranger on the street, and start talking to them, telling them their thoughts and views on random events, showing them pictures of their friends and family, and also telling them where they've been for the day, and what they're about to do for the rest of the day.... Oh, and while they're at it, would they offer them their cell phone number, and contact details on BBM, Whatsapp, email, and their home address...? Not many. It sounds too random and pointless. So why do we offer this information on Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and a host of other social media sites ?

The truth about social media sites, is that they are not very social. Social media sites promote the disconnection from society in our daily lives. Personally, I dont think that the young generation today can actually maintain a friendship, or relationship without the help of social media.

Further to this, offering so much of personal information to your social media "friends", is definitley not a good idea. A simple act of "checking in" on Facebook, could alert someone (who is interested), exactly where you are, and what you're doing, and could offer an estimate of how long you're going to be. This is useful information to someone who does NOT want you to be at home when they break into your house, or someone who needs to know where your car is parked when they need to "borrow" it without your permission.

I know that I may sound far fetched to some people, but it's actually how you're enabling criminals to make a good living . I have been involved in security for many years now. Most of my views are from personal experiences. I certainly would not want to bore the world with what I am doing at the moment, what I ate for breakfast, and my plans for the rest of the day. This information is meaningless, and of little value to the average person...... which brings me to my next point.... This is the information that marketers would love to have !

Did you ever wonder how Facebook (a company that does not charge its users), is valued at 250 Billion US Dollars as at 12 August 2015 ? I mean what exactly do they sell, and how do they make their money ? Well, some people would say that they sell advertising space. Yes, they do. You can advertise your products and services on Facebook, and specify that you want only people in a certian area, age, sex, single, married, divorced, gay, schooling, working, unemployed to view your advert..... Facebook sells your profile to marketers, and it is estimated that your Facebook profile is worth 12 000USD every year to Facebook in terms of revenue generated from the sale of YOUR information.

So, my question is : Did you agree with Facebook that they have the right to sell your information ( that you so easily offer them for free ) ?

My advice is to offer as little personal information as possible on Facebook. Don't be surprized the next time you tell a friend that you're looking to purchase a new car.... and suddenly you notice lots of vehicle adverts appearing on your Facebook page....

For more pros and cons rgarding the benefit of social media, and the potential pitfalls please visit the following blog: http://www.debate.org/opinions/do-the-potential-pitfalls-of-facebook-outweigh-the-benefits?ysort=1&nsort=5 .

Remember that you can only truly free yourself by means of education. I hope that each of you reading my blog chooses to educate yourselves, and I pray that we're all able to become, and remain, critical thinkers.