April 12, Colombo (LNW): Authorities have cautioned the public to think twice before sharing their whereabouts online during the New Year holiday period, warning that careless social media use could expose homes to criminal activity.
In a recent advisory, the Sri Lanka Police highlighted how real-time posts, location tags, and check-ins can unintentionally signal that a residence has been left unattended. Officers noted that such digital footprints are increasingly being exploited by opportunistic thieves.
To counter this risk, the public has been encouraged to adopt a “later-gram” habit—waiting until they have returned home before uploading photos, videos, or travel updates. Popular platforms such as Facebook and Instagram were specifically mentioned as spaces where oversharing can create vulnerabilities.
Police further advised travellers to review privacy settings, limit public visibility of posts, and avoid broadcasting detailed travel plans.
They stressed that even seemingly harmless updates could provide enough information for criminals to identify empty properties, urging citizens to remain vigilant both offline and online during the festive season.