Expert-recommended safety tips when traveling in a digital age

Every time I leave for a solo trip that will take me farther than an hour from home, I am met with all sorts of unsolicited advice:

“Keep your keys in your hand for self-defense and to be ready if you need to fight,” my grandmother told me once.

“Check under your car in parking garages because people be hidin’ up under there.”

“Don’t get out of your car for nothing and nobody once you get in it.”

“Keep your bags and kids on your lap until you board the plane.”

This is just some of the typical advice I get before a trip. Advice that is oftentimes useless or outdated — not something that I’d use anyway.

Recently, I discovered some useful advice on social media from experts in the travel space that help guide people in making safe choices while traveling. Between TikTok and Instagram, there are many creators who put together videos, reels and informational posts that are geared specifically toward travel safety tips. Some of the most prolific travel creators, including influencers like @cici_inthesky on TikTok, have made it their mission to alert travelers to potential dangers out there. Cybersecurity firms have also taken to online forums to discuss some of the safety issues associated with social media and travel. These experts’ lived experience and advice is something that we should all consider before traveling with our favorite social media apps open. Check out these tips for staying safe while using social media abroad:

Update your security settings before leaving

One of the most repeated pieces of advice on TikTok and Instagram was about tightening access to your social media accounts. Instagram has a recent update that allows two-step authentication. This update is so important because the added authentication prevents your account from being hacked and stolen.

In most cases, Instagram cannot recover an account once it has been hacked and stolen. TikTok and most of the other social media apps have this added security as well. Before you leave for a trip, make sure that all your apps have that two-step authentication and all the necessary updates in place to prevent this from happening. Tech Instagrammer, @iamjonmorris, created a video on setting up two-step authentication in Android phones.

Delay updating your status online

Another popular piece of advice that I found on social media was to delay posting. Travel influencers and cyber security firms alike warn travelers against posting about their trip while they are still at that location. They urge people to post pictures of specific locations at least a day or more after they’ve left. Otherwise, someone could just come to that location and try to connect with you or worse. The most recent death of rapper PnB Rock has quickly become a cautionary tale in this regard. A post that tagged his location ended in the rapper’s murder.

Another reason to delay posting to social media while traveling is for the safety of your home. Thieves will see that you are out of town and too far away to be back anytime soon, which serves as the perfect opportunity for a break-in. Instagrammer Abdullah Bin Rashid even put together a look at how social media posts while traveling could lead to the theft of your whole identity. Thus, the best idea is to post when the trip is done and everyone is safely at home.

Post it like a spy or flight attendant

I spoke with Delta flight attendant Titilayo Adiba about what she recommends for travelers when it comes to safety. Adiba works the legs of international flights where in-flight social media posting is tough to resist. She suggests going “secret squirrel” while on the flight and throughout the entire vacation. Adiba explains:

• Never go “live” in or in front of your hotel because that shows where you are in real-time.
• Don’t do business over airplane Wi-Fi or any public Wi-Fi because you could get your personal information intercepted and stolen.
• Leave your itinerary with someone offline that you trust and never post it on your social media.
• Review your videos for the same travelers making an appearance in your background in case someone is following you.
• On international trips, make sure you know where the nearest embassy or consulate is just in case you do have to report an incident or get to safety.

Many of Adiba’s recommendations are supported on government websites and those of travel experts and airlines. Posting your vacation or that really luxurious Airbnb you’re staying at is what Instagram was made for. And why not try out a TikTok challenge in a special place? These days, however, keeping up with social media trends can be dangerous, especially if you are traveling and posting to a public account where it’s easy for strangers to find your location. Fortunately, taking these few precautions can keep your followers updated without compromising your safety.

Jonita Davis (jonitadavis.com) is a film critic, writer, and pop culture junkie behind the online publication The Black C.A.P.E. Magazine (theblackcape.com, @theblackcapemag). She is also a freelance writer, a published author, an English professor, and a podcaster. She has a master’s degree in English (Literary Criticism Concentration) from Purdue University and teaches writing at Waubonsee Community College. Her previous works include Michigan City’s Marinas (History Press 2009), Michigan City’s Washington Park (History Press 2011), Questioning Cultural Appropriation (Enslow Publishing 2019), and We Gon Be Black Today (Chicago Review Press, 2023).

This story was originally published October 12, 2022 at 9:00 AM.