WASHINGTON COUNTY, MD - As people check-out for the holiday season and "check-in" on Facebook, they may be at risk.
"You're letting everybody know that your home is going to be vacant, nobody is going to be there, and if they wanted to come in and do their Christmas shopping so to speak also, they can," says Deputy Carly Hose of the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office says typically burglaries tend to rise during the holidays. Now, social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are playing a role as more people broadcast they're not at home.
Officials say most people using social media are more comfortable with sharing there whereabouts because they feel there is a degree of anonymity, but they say that may not always be the case.
"You put it out there," says Deputy Hose. "You don't see who's viewing it, so it doesn't hit home truly how many people can see it."
Some active social media users say they have become more leery of posting too much.
"You don't really know, especially if your profile is open, the public can view it," says Jesse Jones, a Washington County resident. "You don't know who's looking at it. You don't know who knows where you are."
"A lot of privacy has been lost due to it, even though through all the restrictions you're out there," says Cary Smith, a Washington County resident. "Everybody can see pretty much anything if they want to look hard enough."
As the sheriff's office educates the community about social media sites through their crime prevention initiative they are asking residents to think twice about certain posts.
"If you wouldn't put it on a billboard on a major intersection for the world to see then you shouldn't post it on the internet," says Deputy Hose.
"You're letting everybody know that your home is going to be vacant, nobody is going to be there, and if they wanted to come in and do their Christmas shopping so to speak also, they can," says Deputy Carly Hose of the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office says typically burglaries tend to rise during the holidays. Now, social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are playing a role as more people broadcast they're not at home.
Officials say most people using social media are more comfortable with sharing there whereabouts because they feel there is a degree of anonymity, but they say that may not always be the case.
"You put it out there," says Deputy Hose. "You don't see who's viewing it, so it doesn't hit home truly how many people can see it."
Some active social media users say they have become more leery of posting too much.
"You don't really know, especially if your profile is open, the public can view it," says Jesse Jones, a Washington County resident. "You don't know who's looking at it. You don't know who knows where you are."
"A lot of privacy has been lost due to it, even though through all the restrictions you're out there," says Cary Smith, a Washington County resident. "Everybody can see pretty much anything if they want to look hard enough."
As the sheriff's office educates the community about social media sites through their crime prevention initiative they are asking residents to think twice about certain posts.
"If you wouldn't put it on a billboard on a major intersection for the world to see then you shouldn't post it on the internet," says Deputy Hose.
