Presents
Everyone wants to show off their presents during the holidays, and while some are totally fine to share–like toys, clothes, and most other tangible items–others, like gift cards and event tickets, are best left unphotographed. A good rule of thumb is anything with either your personal information or information that can be used to redeem something digitally shouldn’t be shared. Think of it this way: Tangible items = okay, experiential gifts = better left unshared.
Geotagging
Geotagging is becoming ubiquitous–it seems like every restaurant and store now has a geotag on Facebook and Instagram. When you’re out in public this can be fine but using a geotag while at home can be risky. Just imagine – you just finished sharing photos of all the beautiful presents wrapped under the Christmas tree on social media and geotagged the cafe downstairs from your house. Now potential thieves have just what they need to know where to go to get at those presents! Remember: when at home, don’t geotag.
Your Audience
If you just have to share that present on social media, make sure you choose your audience. Instead of publishing publicly–meaning anyone can see your post–choose ‘Friends’, ‘Close Friends’ or a similar audience. This will give your post an extra layer of protection from unwanted eyes.