Bad guys are on social media.And because of that Allstate Insurance is releasing a study encouraging Canadians to refrain from posting about their vacations — which gives those bad guys an idea when your home will be empty.Th advice is intended to reduce the risk of home property home theft, as the period between July and November is the busiest times for these incidents, peaking in August. This is according to an analysis of Allstate's in-house claims over the past ten years. .The study states that 32% of overall Canadians active on social media post about their plans while traveling, including 51% amongst ages 18 to 34.Additionally, 68% of respondents stated they planned to leave their homes for at least a few days this summer, with the highest amongst Gen Z and Millenials at 74%.Out of these people, 35% of those staying within their province say they plan to post on social media before or during their trip. Amongst those traveling outside the province, 45% say they would post about it before or during their trip, and internationally, this rises to 51%..A mere 9% overall say they'd post before their trip, and 28% say they'd post during their travels. Young adults 18 to 34 are more likely to post about during their travels, at 39%.A majority of respondents, at 62%, say they wish to protect their homes while they're away, while 15% of the sample say social media sharing takes priority over reduced theft risk..Allstate advises that oversharing on travel plans prior and during trips may put home properties at risk. If summer travelers' wish to use social media while traveling without increasing their risk of theft, they should remove the geolocation data from digital pictures, remove addresses from social media posts, avoid travel countdowns, keep social media accounts private, and avoid sharing details about vacations online.
