In this day and age, it seems that everybody participates in some type of social media. With increasing accessibility, thanks to smart phones and other mobile devices, it only stands to reason that even more people will join in. While there is much debate over the pros and cons of social media, there is one major con. No pun intended. Criminals are using social media to pick out prospective targets. Social media can be an extreme threat to your home’s security and you may not even realize how.

Modern day criminals look for easy targets that won't bring about much complication. Social media sites can be used as a tool to accomplish this. Think about recent posts or status updates that you have left in just the past week. How many times did you inform friends of your whereabouts and who was with you? Odds are pretty good that you made these posts frequently. While it may seem harmless to let your friends and family know that you are going out to see a movie, potential thieves thrive on this type of information.

While many of you have adequate privacy settings on whichever social site you may use, others don't. They leave the information of their location open to the general public. If a criminal is surfing on the web and happens to come across this info, it can inform them when you're leaving, how long you will be gone, and if anyone is at your home. When they know that the house is unoccupied, intruders see it an easy score. There is no one to stop them from entering your home and taking whatever they want.

Posting your whereabouts isn't the only danger. Sharing the fact that you have recently purchased an expensive item is almost taunting them to break into your home. When they have an idea of what they are looking for, they can enter your home and exit quickly, decreasing the risk of being caught. Combined with the knowledge of your location, this can be very dangerous. There are a few things you can and should do to protect yourself. Update your privacy settings to only include

friends whom you trust. Don't leave your info open to the public. Think twice about leaving specific details about where you're going. You should also highly consider updating, or purchasing a new home security system for added safety. Spread the word!

Add a post or comment on the social media site that you use, and let others know of the dangers.

About the Author: Mark Clay is a committed member of the emergency locksmith team of Always Locksmith. He can easily be found playing football, making killer chutneys, spending time with his family, and blogging about safety. At Always Locksmith , he enjoys being able to further guarantee the safety of the people of London on a daily basis.