This upcoming March break may be the first family vacation that you’ve enjoyed in years. The Government of Canada agrees that Spring Break is a popular time for Canadians to travel.

The temptation to post a photo of you and your family on vacation is often strong. After all, a selfie can say a lot about the joy or beauty you’re experiencing.

Allstate, a leading home and auto insurer, is reminding Canadians to consider what that selfie may mean for your safety or the safety of your home or car.

In fact, they’ve undertaken an online survey about vacation habits, which suggests that nearly a third of Canadians (31%) who are active on social media post about their vacation either before or during a holiday. Among Canadians 18 – 34 years of age vacation posting increases to 46%, with 45% posting they are planning to go away for spring break.

Allstate’s survey also showed that among Canadians that are active on social media 30% are planning a vacation for spring break, with the number rising to 44% for households with children and 46% for those aged 18-34.

Additionally, the survey showed that 70% of them cared more about protecting their homes from a break-in than sharing their travel details on social media. However, among these respondents who also say they post on social media before or during a trip, 46% would prioritize sharing on social media over keeping their home safe.

“We get it, a vacation is exciting and it’s tempting to share that excitement on social media,” says Gene Myles, Agency Manager at Allstate Canada. “Unfortunately, depending on the security settings of your social media accounts, posting details about your vacation also announces in a public forum that your home is empty and, in some cases, for how long. This can increase the risk of a break-in while you’re away.”

Allstate is launching its ‘Hold That Travel Selfie!’ public awareness campaign to inform Canadians about the risks of oversharing their travel plans and experiences with friends and family through social media networks.

“We’re asking Canadians to think twice before posting a picture of their plane ticket, or that quintessential beach selfie, until after they return home. That post may be just as impactful with your network after your travels, and it can help keep your property safe.”

Allstate’s Myles offers the following pieces of advice for Canadian travellers.

• Hold off on posting that selfie until you return from vacation. This includes sharing details on social media platforms before and during your trip.
• Check the privacy and security settings of your social media accounts, and review who has access to your personal information. Even if you have set rigid privacy settings for your social media accounts, it’s still possible for others to view what you post through the accounts of friends and followers.
• Review pictures previously posted on your profiles and remove any information someone might use to find your home address, such as house or apartment numbers and street names that can sometimes be found in the background of photos. And avoid posting photos with geotagging as it can reveal your location in real time.
• Discuss the risk of a break-in and your home insurance  policy with your insurance professional. Fo

There’s plenty of smart home tech worth investing in to provide peace-of-mind while you are away from home for extended periods, or even overnight

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