Social network sites are great because they make it easy for you stay in touch with family and friends. The problem is too many people don’t realize that they could be exposing themselves to any number of security risks. In this video, American Alarm Blogging Team’s Sunny Gault will give you some tips to ensure that your social networking activity doesn’t compromise the safety of your family or your home.

Does your social networking activity compromise your home security?

As more and more people turn to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, the answer is “Yes.” In fact, in a survey of convicted burglars, 78% of those questioned are specifically using these sites to target potential victims.

That’s because people are giving out too much information. According to a recent poll, 15% of Americans use social media to report that they left their homes while 35% of Americans age 18-34 tweet about their current locations.

Here are five tips to protect your family and home from this growing threat:

1. Don’t put anything online you wouldn’t want the whole world to know. Hackers are constantly breaking into programs and stealing passwords. If you don’t want everyone to know your Facebook status, it’s best not to post it at all.
2. Only share with friends on Facebook. Set your privacy settings so only your friends can see your content and only add actual friends into your network.
3. Don’t leave clues in photos. Don’t post photos that reveal your address or landmarks near your home. Also turn off geo-tracking when mobile. If GPS location data is being stored when you upload your photos, it will indicate where you were when the photos were taken.
4. Don’t announce when you’re traveling. Letting your social network know you’re on vacation or at the airport is an invitation to invade your home. Instead, consider sharing your experience online after you return.
5. And finally, don’t share personal data online. You wouldn’t post your birthday, address or phone number on the side of your car, so why post it on the internet. Use common sense when filling out profiles and interacting with new friends.

Social media is only as safe as the information you share. If fact, it could also be used to help catch burglars.

Recently, a Boston-based Mexican restaurant uploaded video surveillance to catch the people who robbed their store. As a result the video has gone viral and has captured national attention. Thanks to social media, they now feel an arrest is likely.

Don’t feel you have to stop using these social media sites,  just use them wisely to keep you and your family protected.