Tyerra Rooffener

Studies show that internet-based crime is one of the fastest-growing security threats. Privacy is one’s right. If important or private information such as one’s financial status, social security number, or location were to be taken advantage of by hackers, one’s family may be at risk. People should become more private in matters of internet-based information.

One of the easiest ways a criminal can reach a person is through their location. Over the past few years “Geotagging” is becoming one of the most used social media add-ons. Geotagging is the act of adding one’s current location to any post they make.

The moment one makes the post, anyone that simply taps on the tagged location can get precise GPS directions including travel time to the person. This add-on is constantly being used in most social media apps including Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, etc. Although it is exciting to show people the places that one has traveled to, Geotagging could seriously be a risk to an individual and their entire family.

For example, if one posts a picture of oneself and their family having a picnic on a beach in Greece, that would inform a thief that their house is empty and can easily be accessed.

Apps like Snapchat make it easy for people to stalk and follow an individual because one’s location is being recorded and broadcasted constantly for everyone to see. This shows that always posting one’s whereabouts online puts one at a huge risk in reality.

The goal of online-based criminal activity is to scam people of their money. If an individual presents themselves online as someone of high financial status, they become a bigger target to criminals. This should make people think twice before posting pictures of themselves with expensive clothing, jewelry, or dining at an expensive restaurant.

If a scammer sees that one is of high financial status, they will scam a person for more money. Scam calls spiked in 2018 when people would get calls demanding a ransom for the captivity of their parent or child; most of these calls were directed towards people with more money.

Online based criminal activity has spiked due to many people making information so public.

To build a safer environment for all people and to protect communities, information such as location, and financial status should be kept more private.