People’s innate desire to show themselves “at their best”, coupled with the addictive nature of social media make it very hard to resist posting holiday pictures on Facebook – even when they know burglars might be watching, according to a media expert. 

“We’re social beings and social media rides on this… it encourages self-disclosure. People want to ingratiate themselves and show themselves at their best. 

“They want likes and they want them in real time. It’s about instant gratification. Despite knowing that they can expose themselves [to burglaries] they give in to the addictive nature of social media,” Gorg Mallia, head of the Media and Communications Department at the University of Malta, said.

Times of Malta recently reported how burglaries increase in the beginning of summer as people go on holiday and “advertise to the world” there is nobody at home by posting photos and updates of their vacation on social media.

Police Inspector Fabian Fleri, from the Violent Crime Unit within the Criminal Investigation Department, explained how this increase in the beginning of summer was in line with international trends. 

The selves we display on the social media are carefully curated and choreographed

One of the biggest problems, he said, was that people advertise on social media that they’re heading out to thieves who were on the lookout for opportunities. 

Inspector Fleri cautioned people to be careful about what type of information they share on social media platforms. 

Prof. Mallia added that the key to finding a balance lies in the privacy setting where people can choose who has access to their posts and photos. 

“But these are complex and way beyond the understanding of most social media users,” he added.

Anthropologist Mark Anthony Falzon said that, anthropologically speaking, there is nothing strange about the need to partially display a life, since visibility is a crucial aspect of a social species. 

“The key word is ‘partially’, of course... as is well known, the selves we display on the social media are carefully curated and choreographed – aspects of life that are thought to add prestige and value are displayed. Clearly, travel and holidays are very much part of what we think is worth revealing in contemporary culture. Even in an age of budget airlines, travel is linked to resources and a cosmopolitan lifestyle. 

“It is considered a highly desirable attribute of self. So highly valued is it, that people will invest in it and take risks to engage in and display it,” Prof. Falzon said.