By now we all know that Pop Smoke was murdered, via home invasion by five men in hoodies, during the wee hours of February 19, 2020
Believe it or not, law enforcement has uncovered a new crime trend whereby criminals routinely scan social media postings to target potential robbery victims in upscale and downscale neighborhoods alike.
Does this mean that posting pics from your white-sand vacation or posting details about your epic plans for an upcoming weekend can be detrimental to your well-being?…Damn right it does!
Whether you’re announcing your “check-in” at your fave fancy restaurant or posting photos from your lazy day at the beach, or posting from a concert in progress, or cyber-bragging about that new piece of art work and jewelry you bought, or that high-end sound system you just installed…once you put it out in the cyberspace, you relinquish control…and safety. Sure, checking in or tagging your location in pics can be fun and sexy, but doing so is also the equivalent of pulling out a bull-horn and declaring your whereabouts to the general public — which unfortunately includes the bad guys (and girls) standing by with sinister intentions.
Consider this a friendly reminder from the hip-hop-cop to use common sense and caution when it comes to your social media usage and postings. Also, be sure your check-ins are only shared with a select group of trusted friends rather than publicly displayed. It’s also a good rule of thumb to post about certain events or trips “after-the-fact” (as opposed to before or during) so as to avoid leaving real-time clues for criminals to implement against you and/or your possessions.
While I hate to sound like a social media hall monitor, rest assured that the last thing you want is for your any-given social media usage to amount to a momentous social mistake which, like in Pop Smoke’s case, can never be undone.
Until such time….
Out.