There is no doubt that many people live a lot of their lives on social media and it can be a fantastic way to stay in touch with folk and have a good laugh with friends and family members. The clue is in the name and these tools and platforms are supposed to be social, where you can hang out with like-minded people. Not everyone likes these platforms and of course, there will be times when people say the wrong thing but on the whole, it would be fair to say that sites like Twitter and Facebook have enriched the lives of many people across the country.
There is a need for caution though because not everything is brilliant when it comes to these sites. There are obviously cases where people have been bullied or stalked online and this is something that people should be aware of. It is not just a crime that affects children, many adults have suffered through this sort of behavior and there is a need to ensure that you feel safe and secure when you use these sites. You should also look to ensure that any youngsters in your family feel confident and secure about using these sites as well. With a proper understanding of the dos and don’ts of social media, most people will feel confident about using them.
You may find your good news being twisted by others
However, there is another warning that people should heed and there has been a rather public reminder of this in the news of late. When people put information about their activities on Facebook, it is generally seen as a positive thing. After all, you want to be sociable and show that you are having a good time. Of course, if you publically state that you are outside of the family home and that it is empty, that may be all the invention that some robbers need to carry out a quick crime.
This is obviously not the sort of thing you think of when you make a harmless post on Facebook but there is no doubt that some people will be scouring the site in the hope of finding out information like this. It is a sad indictment on the modern world but when you use sites like Facebook, you really need to be sure that information like this will not be used against you. While the social media platform is not perfect, they do try and provide people with security options and you can lock down messages so only certain people can see what you have written. This is often a very sensible idea and it is advice that Kirsty Mullen wished she had adhered to.
A robbery with inside knowledge
Kirsty posted on her page that she was going off on holiday which no doubt received a number of likes and positive comments. Sadly, the information was noted by Kirsty’s brother, Callum, who is a drug user and he broke into her home with a friend in order to obtain money to pay off a drug debt. The fact that someone would break into their sister’s property and steal money is a low point that many people would disagree with but of course, when someone is addicted to drugs, they often make very bad choices in life.
The robbery saw Callum Mullen steal £30 in cash and a number of consoles, games, and accessories were taken. The gaming items have been traced as being sold at a second-hand shop in Hartlepool. This crime has seen Callum jailed for 2 and a half years and he also admitted to an act of fraud by passing on stolen goods, which is related to the selling of the goods.
It is a concern that a simple and joyous social media post can end in such trouble and difficulty but this is why it is important for people to be aware of these crimes. There is no doubt that everyone can benefit from acting with more caution when it comes to social media postings. Sadly this warning came too late for the victim in this case but hopefully, other people will be aware that they are being watched and observed at all times when it comes to their actions on social media.
About the Author
The article was written by Andrew Reilly.
Photo credit: Byung Chul Kim
