How many times have you posted “at the mall with the fam” or “in Cabo for a week” on your favorite social media channel?

I know I’m guilty of it. But have you ever stopped to think who might be seeing that? Even if your account is totally private, what if someone was able to hack into it? What if someone hacked into a friend’s account?

Here are three things you should never post on your Facebook profile … or Twitter … or MySpace (myWhat???)  … you get the idea.

1. Be cautious about posting your current location unless you’ve been very selective in building your network of followers with only those you know and trust (or with an application such as Facebook Places, that you’ve appropriately configured your privacy settings). If you haven’t been so selective, it’s probably best to wait until after that vacation to post info about/pictures or just give generals, no specifics as to when you’ll be gone.
2. No pictures of your house. Posting pictures of the ins and outs of your home could give would-be criminals a social media blueprint. No showing off the back door you never lock or window that’s always cracked.
3. Don’t post your specific place of employment. If you work at the Denny’s on 4^th, just say you work at Denny’s – or better, that you are in the hospitality and food industry. Giving a specific might give someone just enough information to do some damage.

Always edit yourself. Every time you do a post or upload a picture, think about how it can be used against you. If it gives off too much information, blur it a little. If it shows too much detail, crop it.

Remember, it’s better to be proactive than reactive.