Well, Your Last Tweet May Have Jacked Up Your Home Insurance

Please Rob Me. Wait, hold on. PleaseRobMe.com. That’s more like it. In the new era of social media privacy concerns, the folks at ForTheHack pretty much exposed popular/next-big-thing Foursquare (the location-based, social media…ummmm, game, I guess) as a giant “Please Loot Me Silly” target on your house or apartment.

PleaseRobMe.com cleverly takes the updates of the Foursquaring masses and repurposes them as “opportunities” to access an empty abode. For example, let’s say Bob announces on Foursquare that he is at the grocery store. Well, Carl sees that and knows now that Bob ain’t home – he’s cruisin’ the produce section. That’s a potentially empty home/apartment that is now a target.

Here’s a real example. As I’m writing this, I am looking at the newest “opportunity” at PleaseRobMe.com who just told the world that he is going to get lunch and then to the library for a few hours. I clicked through to his Twitter page and found not only the town he lives in, but where he works. I’m sure I could find a few more ways to narrow that information down even more. Heck, by looking at his Twitter stream, I can put together a fairly complete pattern of what he does on a daily basis and where he is at any given time.

For the sake of complete transparency, though, this is likely what would happen if I tried to rob your house:

The Insurance Companies Are Keen To Twitter Privacy Concerns And The Huge Liabilities Of Announcing Your Every Move

Reported in the Huffington Post (and elsewhere), insurance companies may be setting their collective sites on the privacy concerns associated with social media. An insurance cost comparison site, Confused.com, “argues that social media services like Foursquare and Buzz can increase the risk of theft by alerting burglars to times when people are out of their homes, thus leading to home insurance hikes,” according to the HuffPost piece. That hike could be as much as 10%.

To be fair, no insurance company has announced that social media privacy concerns might be grounds for rate hikes, but c’mon…they are insurance companies – created and dedicated solely to finding new and creative ways to get more money from you. Would you put it past them?

However, the HuffPost article points out, when answering machines started to become popular people were warned that announcing you weren’t home to take a call was the equivalent of leaving your front door unlocked with a giant sign outside that says, “Enjoy Selling My Stuff.”

This is different, though. With the example from earlier – the guy at the library – I know where he works because of his Twitter profile. If so inclined, I could hang out there (because from Foursquare and his Tweets, I know generally when he is there) and follow him home someday. Then, I know his address. All I have to do is wait for the next time he tells me when he isn’t home and I head over to his house. Gleaning all of that information from an answering machine would be damn near impossible.

I’m Not Going To Rob You, But I Could…And That’s The Point. Social Media Privacy Concerns Are Real.

Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter or Foursquare, social media privacy concerns are pretty much here to stay. I would love to think that a service like Foursquare is beneficial. It certainly allows users to promote and discuss local businesses and establishments. That’s the beauty of all social media – you are enabled to communicate with more people more rapidly than possible in “real time.” But we all know that there are some pretty savvy thieves out there who thrive on the bits of information we drop daily. A social media service like Foursquare takes most of the work out of it for them, though. It’s like a take-out menu for burglars.

And that’s the goal of PleaseRobMe.com. They aren’t interested in helping criminals. From their site: “The goal of this website is to raise some awareness on this issue and have people think about how they use services like Foursquare, Brightkite, Google Buzz etc. Because all this site is, is a dressed up Twitter search page. Everybody can get this information.”

In fact, ForTheHack is actually looking to unload PleaseRobMe (for a profit? Who knows). Again, from their site: “We at Forthehack have been thinking about how we want to continue pleaserobme.com. It has received a lot of attention and it’s time for a next step. We want to offer this website to a professional foundation, agency or company that focuses on raising awareness, helping people understand and provide answers to online privacy related issues.”

Bottom Line – Know The Security Risks Of Social Media

Everyone knows about privacy settings on Facebook and Twitter and how to limit your information to a designated group of people. But, as the push for increased interactivity (i.e. Foursquare) nudges you into providing more and more information, remember that I might rob you…and I’ll leave a note that says, “#Itoldyouso.”

Thanks to @ivanlajara for turning me on to the PleaseRobMe.com site. I plan on robbing him as soon as he tells me where he’s headed today.

Of Online Love and Lust

It must be in the air with Valentine’s Day right around the corner. Danielle Hearts Wordpress and I am infatuated with Foursquare.  Maybe we are just freely admitting ou true Geekiness, but I will confess too.

Girly Geek Internet Love

Foursquare has gotten under my skin. Even if I don’t quite “get” him yet. I think that is a part of the intrigue. Foursquare and I are just at the beginning of our relationship and I am not sure where it will go. It’s kind of nerve racking really. Foursquare is playing hard to get, making me wonder and keeping me on my toes.

Like so many of my internet infatuations, Foursquare gave me that special tingle right from the get go.  I can’t even recall when I first heard about him whether it was some blog, or at the office. I t doesn’t matter anymore. I know I sought him out to see what the buzz was about. While I was curious, once I did meet him, I wasn’t sure what to do next.

He was on my desk top, out of his element, looking like little more than some cute Twitter like directory.  I joined anyway. I had to know. And before I knew it, he had my profile.

Some might call me easy. I join with just about any site, blog, forum, network I can find online.  I do have my standards, but I am a professional and I get paid to engage online.  Every profile I make is open to everyone, public, and hopefully searchable.  Indeed, I will friend anyone.  But like everyone, I have my favorites over the years:

Forum Love and Lost Time

I had a long relationships with quite a few forums. In fact, I was a serial forum junkie for quite some time. I started with MSN Groups and then that lead to SMF forums. I had to stop a few years ago because I didn’t  like the amount of time a forum  could suck up out of your life. It was not a job then, only a hobby I told myself.  I quit cold turkey and only go back now in a professional capacity. Sometimes, I feel that temptation, but I know better.  Especially after the MSN groups just vanished – taking all of my early writing with them.  I don’t think I can ever get over that betrayal.

Blogging by Surprise

I was impetuous with Blogging. I saw Blogging, figured out that Blogger was easy and had a BlogSpot blog before I even knew what I was getting into.  After forums, I was ready for something new. Something more stable and secure. A real commitment to one place and one medium. Blogging  was exactly what I wanted, but I had no idea when we first met. I just saw that other people had blogs and I wanted one to. Little did I know how close my Blog and I would become.  I love Blogging.

Twitter Tingles

I think I was working for DragonSearch for two weeks and I discovered Twitter.  It was like a sweet little pet that followed me home from work.  I made Twitter part of the office and part of my life.  Always thinking about Twitter and listening for Twitter in the news.  First, Twitter was just cute; a fun little place to create just another profile and a  leave a link. Then, Twitter started growing up and got really really popular. I realized that I could use Twitter to keep up on things as they happened right now.  Twitter still keeps maturing and our relationship keeps building and expanding.  Oh, we have had some growing pains along the way. I have gotten angry when Twitter has over extended himself and isn’t  there for me when I need him, but we work through it. Sometimes, I worry a little that Twitter, who still has so much room to grow, might get ahead of himself, or choose a wrong path. But, I love Twitter and all I can do now is support Twitter and hope that Twitter will always be true to himself.

Facebook, Stop Poking Me!

I hated Facebook when I met him, absolutely hated him. I thought he was the stupidest most obnoxious useless service on the web. When I first heard of Facebook,  he was still in college and  I could not even think of joining him; that would have been just wrong.  I wouldn’t have even cared because I was just hanging out with MySpace anyway (trying to shake the forums),  but I thought that Facebook might be helpful when I was helping with adoption searches.  I didn’t want to join, just wanted to see inside.  Not even being able to look at Facebook was really annoying. Jerk.

So then finally, Facebook was with the college crap and came out into the real world and I join.  And I just hated it! Every morning I would get to work and my first message every day would be from Facebook and it would be about poking me.  That’s it.  The whole  relationship was about poking.  I didn’t even know who was poking who. I just felt violated. and then I felt angry. And one day, I just set those permissions straight and demanded that all the poking stopped!

What was amazing was that once I stopped all the poking nonsense, the real Facebook came out and it was like night and day. Facebook really began pulling its weight and shouldering millions and millions. I had to respect that. And so, while there are times that I expect more than Facebook is prepared to give, or I feel hemmed in by Facebook demands or that formal protocol, I know we work well together. It’s not a perfect relationship, but what is? What Facebook and I have is real.

WWW Don’t Know Till You Try

You never know, so I have to join them all, yet I don’t use them all. That makes all the difference. Foursquare, even with the buzz, hadn’t impressed me yet. It takes me a while to build that trust with a new site or service. To fully integrate them into my life. To really build that relationship and be comfortable working together like Twitter, and Facebook and Blogging.   Was Foursquare just some one night gigolo? Or would he wait until I depended on him and then  drop me when I least expected it?  And did I even want a character like Foursquare in my life. A girl has got to ask, “What have  you done for me lately?”

I couldn’t see exactly what Foursquare was doing for me , but I couldn’t tear myself away either. I knew that there was some way that we should be together, yet I didn’t know why I wanted to.  He was city bound and didn’t even recognize my small urban town. He was all about coffee shops and barflys. Until the day I got him on my phone, and then Foursquare true colors came out. Foursquare never belonged on  a mere desktop hemming him in; Foursquare was made to be mobile!

Foursquare Shows Great Potential

Yup, Foursquare makes my social spider senses tingle. I don’t know. Maybe it’s something about him. What’s not to like; Foursquare is just so hot.  He’s a directory because you can list stuff. Yet, he’s so social because you can have friends. He’s cool and now-time like Twitter.. in fact, they are friends and work together.  Foursquare is not complicated and shares that simple appeal, but the relationships can go a little deeper with each exchange. It’s not just what you are doing; but where and when and what do you recommend.  And then, he is so versatile. He’s so mobile and ready to travel and actually helps you make decisions!  It’s just so nice to meet something with an opinion who doesn’t make you do all the work!  Foursquare does more than ask about how I feel, Foursquare tells me where I am! He’s so confident.  I love it! And then he is fun! Foursquare plays well with others and even encourages others to do stuff.  He keeps things nice and fair even though I sometimes feel jealous that Mrs. Dragon has way more points than I ever could because she runs errands all day and I am stuck on the internet. It’s worth it because Foursquare is so giving. It’s like a real healthy relationship. He calls me sweet nothings like his Mayor or little Traveler. 

And we are still  only in the honeymoon period!

I just don’t know how far this relationship with Foursquare will go. I think we might still have some kinks to iron out. I wonder that people won’t be as accepting of him as they should. If they only know the fun of mobile-local-directory-now-time-social-network-game- with-coupons.   I think that Foursquare, if he plays his cards right, could have a great future in marketing.  I’m not sure where exactly he might end up, but it will be important. I can see that already. He’s got some real potential.

So, yes, I am in over my head. I won’t call it the L word yet, but I really do have a thing for Foursquare. Lust, Infatuation, or maybe just a big geek crush; I have high hopes for Foursquare and where he could be headed.

Now don’t go breaking my heart!