Sometimes we FALL IN LOVE with what technology can DO…

…but we don’t always STOP TO CONSIDER ALL THE CONSEQUENCES of doing it.

For instance:

In the last few years, millions and millions of people…

…have fallen in love with using Facebook and Twitter (and more recently, Google Buzz) on their mobile phones.

But every time we use our mobile phones to send messages over Facebook or Twitter about WHERE WE ARE and WHAT WE’RE DOING…

…what we’re also doing is announcing to the world that we’re NOT AT HOME.

And is this REALLY such a SMART thing to be doing?

To drive home the point that it’s really quite FOOLISH…

…a couple of young guys have created a new website called “PleaseRobMe.com.”

And even though these three guys meant PleaseRobMe.com as a SPOOF…

…here are some very good lessons we can all learn from it:

LESSON #1:

YES, YOU CAN SAY TOO MUCH ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK

Although it’s not too smart…

…it is every easy to use your phone while you’re out to announce:

• That you’re not at home (so thieves can rob you)

• That you’re out buying something expensive (so someone could go to your house and steal it tomorrow)

• That you’ve been drinking (which could probably be used as evidence against you if you were then stopped by police while driving)

• That you’re out having tons of fun tonight (which may make your boss suspicious when you call in sick tomorrow)

LESSON #2:

YES, YOUR FRIENDS CAN SAY TOO MUCH ABOUT YOU ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK, TOO

Even though you may want to keep your whereabouts or your activities or your home address a secret…

…what’s to stop one of your friends from inadvertently blabbing some info about you that you’d prefer to hide?

Answer:

Nothing.

So if you’re a private kind of person or you have something to hide?

You better let your friends know that Tweeting or Facebooking about you is strictly off limits.

LESSON #3:

TOO MUCH TWEETING MAY LEAD TO HIGHER INSURANCE PREMIUMS

I’m no friend of insurance companies…

…but this time I’m on their side:

If your house gets robbed…

…and they can go online and see that you were announcing to the world on Twitter or Facebook that you weren’t home?

I’m not going to blame them for:

• Refusing to pay your full claim, and/or investigating for a long period of time

• Raising your home owners or renters insurance fees when its time for you to renew.

LESSON #4:

YES, THE GPS IN YOUR CAR AND/OR ON YOUR PHONE IS DANGEROUS, TOO

Whether you’re using the GPS on your phone or a stand-alone GPS unit in your car…

…don’t ever forget that that GPS will now tell anyone who asks exactly where you live.

So if you lose your phone?

Or if your GPS is stolen from your car?

You basically just made it super easy for a potential burglar to get to your house…

…so he or she can rob you blind, while you’re out driving around trying to find your lost GPS or phone.

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