Does your social media use compromise your security?

Are you a mayor on Foursquare? Maybe you check in using Facebook? Perhaps you post your Twitter updates to other social media networks like LinkedIn, Yammer, or Plaxo?

Many people use social media and casually brag about what a fancy hotel they're in, or boast about visiting a famous landmark. But thoughtlessly revealing your location may be dangerous.

A significant percentage of former home invasion specialists (AKA burglars) say they use social media to target properties where the owners aren't home. Among the common-sense steps you can take to protect your social media security:

1. Adjust your Facebook privacy settings so only your friends see your posts.
2. Add only your actual friends and associates to your social media networks.
3. If you're going to announce that you'll be out of town, everyone who can see your post knows that. Be careful.
4. Avoid posting photos that reveal your address or obvious landmarks near your residence. Don't make it easy.
5. Turn off geo-tagging in your mobile device's camera settings. Geo-tagging embeds GPS coordinates in your photos when enabled, so it's easy to find your location.
6. Don't post photos of expensive items in your home that would interest thieves.

You can click to enlarge this infographic, which we found quite informative:

 Social Media Safety Infographic provided by CreditSesame.com.