Internet safety: Something we can do.

I'm not normally one to sound the alarm when it comes to safety, and definitely not one to incite unnecessary levels of fear. There are times when I don't think much about safety at all. I realize that not worrying about my safety is a first world privilege, and not a reality for many, many women around the world.

I currently live in a very safe area where the main crimes usually involve petty theft from unlocked cars in mall parking lots.  But just in the last week, there was an attempted break in just down the street, so our senses have been heightened to strange looking cars, locked doors, and setting security alarms.

So on the topic of safety, internet safety is something we all need to be equally aware of, wherever we may live. Whether you have a blog, an Instagram account, a Facebook account, or none of the above - I think it's really important for each of us who live in this technology-driven, social-media-crazy world to pay attention to.

A friend sent this video to me the other night, and I watched with my jaw dropped for most of it. Once I got over the initial shock, though, I came away feeling more knowledgeable and aware that what I post from my phone can have major consequences. I (obviously) post plenty of pictures online, and while I'm really careful to never share specifics of where I live or what I drive, this seems just as important.

Here's what I saw...
The news story came out in 2010, so I'm assuming the technology has become even more advanced since then. But hey! There's something we can do about it! Just follow the instructions at the very end (around 3:15 on the video) to change your phone settings accordingly.