Much as I am touched by my online friends’ generous desire to let me know their locations at all times, I also wonder if their generosity is entirely wise. If they are letting the world know that they are currently at some interesting location are they not also letting others know that they are not at home? This thought has also occurred to the designers of Please Rob Me, a cautionary site.

The danger is publicly telling people where you are. This is because it leaves one place you’re definitely not… home. So here we are; on one end we’re leaving lights on when we’re going on a holiday, and on the other we’re telling everybody on the internet we’re not home. It gets even worse if you have “friends” who want to colonize your house. That means they have to enter your address, to tell everyone where they are. Your address.. on the internet.

Thanks to Gerard for the link.