Almost one third (32%) of Canadian respondents to a survey that say they are active on social media post about their plans before or while travelling, a figure that rises to 51% among those aged 18 to 34. But sharing that beach vacation selfie while away could be putting the safety of their property at risk for theft because it also shares that their home is empty.
The survey was conducted by Léger on behalf of Allstate Insurance Company of Canada to explore how Canadians choose to share details about their vacation on social media before and during travel.
Respondents to the survey reveal that 68% of Canadian social media users plan to leave home for at least a few days this summer, with the highest rate among Gen Z and Millennials at 74% and the lowest among those aged 55 and older. While 35% of those staying within their province say they plan to post about their trip on social media, this proportion rises to 45% among those planning to leave their province, and peaks at 51% among travellers with international plans.
Specifically, 9% post before their trip to share their plans and 28% post during the trip to show they are travelling. Young adults aged 18-34 are the most likely to publish content on social media during their vacation (39%). Parents are more inclined to share (37%) compared to those without children (30%).
In contrast, a majority (62%) say their main concern is protecting their home from theft while they’re away. This priority is even stronger among people aged 55 and over – 69% choose not to post before or during their vacation. However, 15% of respondents say sharing on social media is more of a priority than keeping their home safe from a break-in.
Allstate has launched a public education campaign about the risks of sharing vacation travel plans online and how Canadians can better protect their homes.
August, Fridays peak
Analysis of Allstate’s in-house claims data over the last 10 years reveals that property theft rises slightly over the summer, with August reaching a peak. Overall, the months of July through November are the busiest time for theft, making summer a critical period for home safety. As well, the claims data reveals Fridays rank highest for incidents, followed by Thursday, regardless of time of year.
Allstate offers this advice that may help Canadians protect their homes from theft if they are planning on travelling this summer.
- As a general rule, year-round, use your phone’s privacy settings to remove geolocation data from digital pictures and avoid sharing images of your street address or home number.
- Before a trip, avoid posting countdowns. If the itch to share online is too great, create a smaller trusted chat group to keep those closest to you informed of your plans.
- Setting social media accounts to “private” rather than public allows more control over who sees your content. Even then, keep dates and other travel plans vague.
- Delay sharing details about your vacation adventure online until your return.
- Discuss this approach with all household members, so they take the same precautions.
- Review your home insurance policy with your insurance professional to ensure you have the right coverage for your needs.
“While technology like smart cameras and alarm systems may offer peace of mind, oversharing on social media can put travellers’ homes and valuables at risk. I encourage Canadians to keep this in mind before sharing their travel plans and adventures online,” says Odel Laing, Agency Manager at Allstate Canada. “This doesn’t mean keeping all the excitement to yourself, but rather share the photos of your vacation when you return.”
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