- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
Comments (6)
Print
Save/ShareFacebook is a fun way to connect with friends and family, but it can sometimes be tough on relationships—especially when it comes to sharing vacation stories.
Sometimes one person in a couple shares online a lot of details about upcoming vacations or vacations you've just come back from, while the other doesn't, thinking it's T.M.I. (Too Much Information).
[+] Enlarge photo
There's a serious point here. Say your house is, in fact, robbed while you're on vacation. True, there aren't any known cases of an insurer invalidating someone's homeowners' policy because the policyholder broadcasted his or her vacation whereabouts via social networks. But that day is coming.
UPDATE November 10, 2011:
That day has arrived:
Burglar targets traveling Facebook friends --MNSBC
U.K. insurance website Confused.com is warning people they could eventually face hikes in their home insurance premiums if they use social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook to reveal vacation information and then they're burglarized.
For others travelers, the worry is about hurting the feelings of family and friends with the news of your vacation. Consider the story of BT reader Noah Cole:
My wife and I recently spent 3 weeks in South Africa during my sabbatical. Facebook and Twitter were great for keeping people up to date while traveling — it is amazing to be on safari in Africa, take a photo of a lion with my iPhoto and upload to Facebook via a 3G connection for instant viewing by people around the world. Many people thanked me for the photos and liked to live vicariously through them. Others, however, were clearly a bit jealous and didn't hesitate to let me know that they didn't appreciate having to see me on sabbatical while they were sitting at work.My wife and I also had several disagreements while there and again once we were back while choosing photos to post about the amount of information I was sharing via Facebook. My view was that I should be able to choose which photos and what information to post for my friends, relatives and colleagues. Her view was that since I'm friends with many of her friends and family, I need to respect her wishes for what is shared. Ultimately I agreed not to post a few specific photos, but it is a tricky area.
Key points to make here are that you need to understand the latest privacy settings. Have you talked with your traveling partner about what's okay to share and not share online? Are you sure that only your immediate friends and family can see your whereabouts?
Let us know what you think about sharing information about your trips via Facebook and Twitter.
User reviews and comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions.
My privacy settings are pretty high on Facebook, and I make it a point to only "friend" people I actually know. As for Twitter, that's about as public as public can get, and I remind myself of that before I post anything. I do share when I'm going on vacation because as I post pictures, it's going to be pretty obvious. However, I also brodcast that I have a housesitter caring for my dog. Additionally, I have a security system at my home.
As far as the jealousy of friends and family is concerned, I don't worry about it. Those are the same people who will be jealous of any success you may have, and it's petty. If they don't like it, they don't have to read my status updates. And I don't have to read their never ending status updates about their kids, either.
Posted By Jen on October 13, 2011, 11:45 AM
What, should people not post pictures of their new babies because it's not fair to those who are childless? Or not post wedding pictures because it's insensitive to the singletons?
The friends and family who are too consumed with envy to share in your happiness are not worth stressing over. Clearly Noah and his wife are extending her family more consideration than her family extended them.
If they don't want to see your pictures, they can choose to hide you when they know you're on vacation. I think it's great fun to perch in a bar or cafe with free wifi, upload some pictures, and discuss my travels with friends back home. And I think it's great fun to sit at my office, log into Facebook, and comment on the pictures of friends who are traveling while I'm stuck at work.
Posted By Jennifer on October 13, 2011, 1:46 PM
Sigh...et tu, Budgettravel? Why not repost the razor blades in Halloween candy stories while you're at it.
I've told this to my parents and anyone else who repeats this same sensationalist media propaganda, the problem isn't with what you post it's who YOU, the end user, allow to see it.
If you are on any social networking sight you need to limit your information to be viewed by friends only. If you've secured your information properly then you should have no worries, share away!
In my mind telling people not to post their travel information on facebook is about as good advice as saying don't use credit cards because someone may steal your account number from the garbage. The problem isn't the service it's how you handle the security of your information.
Posted By Brian C on October 13, 2011, 5:04 PM
The problem IS WHAT YOU POST because whether you realize it or not, there may be more people than you intended seeing it. Use common sense & if you're not smart enough to realize that you should never post inappropriate photos of yourself or significant other, etc, there's a term for that--NATURAL SELECTION :)
Posted By Christine on October 15, 2011, 1:34 AM
The problem IS WHAT YOU POST because whether you realize it or not, there may be more people than you intended seeing it. Use common sense & if you're not smart enough to realize that you should never post inappropriate photos of yourself or significant other, etc, there's a term for that--NATURAL SELECTION :)
Posted By Christine on October 15, 2011, 1:35 AM
I DEFINTELY WOULD, but you know, Jesus is in one place only I truly believe, in YOUR HEART!!!! He is everywhere; could be in a close friend you confide in, a member of your immediate family, even in your dog. Always remember that whatever one may be going through in their life be it a happy occasion, a loss in a family member, loss of employment, sickness that alters your way of life; DON'T GIVE UP B/C Jesus Loves Us know matter what; uncoditional love; HOW AWESOME IS THAT. So if you're wondering if I would accept Jesus as my friend on FB, I would but He was my freind long before I was born; He knew what my life, your life, would be like on earth; Thanks for sharing.....
Posted By Toitan Florentin-Bogdan on May 6, 2012, 9:27 AM