What Do Social Media and Home Security Have in Common?

Truthfully, not much! However, your use of social media outlets can definitely impact on your home security. When you post photos that include your home, you are giving potential burglars inside information. We you talk to someone on your wall about an upcoming vacation, you are letting the baddies know when your house will be unattended, and how long before you get back to find the damage. You never know what information people can use to compromise your home security -- and you don't need to post your monitored alarm system code online to feel the full effects.

Facebook users may have noticed a recent change to the "News Feed" style where your friends' interactions with others are posted on your wall. For example, if your brother shared a picture with his workmate, you can see it. It is system-wide changes like this that often create security breaches … what can people use the information on other people's movements and activities for? Keep up to date with these changes via the site blog.

What else can you do to protect yourself and your home when using social media?

• Check the privacy settings for whatever site you prefer. Allow only people you have become 'friends' with to access your profile and information. Look for external guides to the site's privacy values if you need decoding of the info.
• Clean out your friend list periodically. Many people have friend lists containing hundreds of people … and unfortunately, some that were previously friendly may now harbor ill will. Keep your friend list to a minimum.
• Make sure any pictures you share are cropped to exclude unnecessary detail
• Don't let people know of your new address or phone number via social media
• Make use of the private messaging services (your inbox) more than the public ones (like Wall posts and status comments)

Some sites advise that if you must use social media, to ensure you balance pictures of your prized possessions (or even just incidental house photos with your family in them), with pictures of your home security measures like whatever big mean dogs, guns/tasers/capsicum spray or monitored alarm systems you have in your home. This has both an upside and a downside. You may deter some burglars, but for the determined ones, you've just given them the information they need to better plan to burgle your house. Social media is best kept to a minimum - look at everything you put up there through the eyes of somebody who wishes you harm … and be careful!

Four Free Ways to Increase your Home Security

Having a security system is certainly the gold standard in home security, and for many people, it is the only acceptable way to protect their home. However, there can still be damage done, even with a security system. Here we look at four of the best free ways to protect your home, following basic principles that make you less attractive to burglars.

1. Become friends with your neighbors

You probably notice quite a bit about your neighbor's comings and goings, and don’t think much more of it. If something out of the ordinary were to happen at their place while they weren't home, you would almost certainly notice -- and would be the most valuable tool in preventing loss or damage to their property. Your own home security can obviously benefit from your neighbors' eyes, as well as your own. The simple act of going outside and asking someone close to the house if they can help them is enough to discourage most burglars.

2. Trim your trees and shrubs

Having a lush garden looks gorgeous during the day, but provides a wealth of opportunity for burglars to get close to your house unobserved at night. Think about whether you really need all that greenery around the front of your house. If the answer is yes, make sure for your home security's sake that they remain well-trimmed. Consider implementing extra measures if you have an especially leafy front yard, like amonitored alarm system.

3. Curtains and blinds

Use lace curtains on your windows for home security. They won’t physically stop a burglar, but will stop them seeing what is inside your house during the day. Never leave your curtains or blinds open at night, for best home security -- anyone on the street can see in, but you can’t see who is looking.

4. Lock your keys inside the house

Sounds strange -- but it is an effective, real-life way to make you think about how someone without keys can gain entry into the house. Arrange it so one of your family members can let you in -- but don’t make it too easy for yourself! Alternatively, some alarm system monitoring firms offer this assessment service.