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Website gives tips to thieves
Computer experts warn about a new website launched this week because it gives thieves information from users of social networks.
The site works by taking data from sites such as Twitter and Facebook, relying on users checking into various locations.
It then presents “opportunities” to visitors to “Please Rob Me” when it appears someone is not home.
In a 10-minute period, Please Rob Me presented 289 “new opportunities” as the site listed people who had checked into places such as work, the airport and the supermarket and posted their location on Twitter or Facebook.
Monash University crime prevention expert Dr David Baker said such a site was open to abuse and needed to be handled carefully.
“Hopefully it would be very few, but you could see some people use the site in a bad way,” Dr Baker said.
Website co-creator Barry Borsboom said it was a satire about people who expose themselves on social network sites.
Published Feb 20, 2010
Computer experts warn about a new website launched this week because it gives thieves information from users of social networks.
The site works by taking data from sites such as Twitter and Facebook, relying on users checking into various locations.
It then presents “opportunities” to visitors to “Please Rob Me” when it appears someone is not home.
In a 10-minute period, Please Rob Me presented 289 “new opportunities” as the site listed people who had checked into places such as work, the airport and the supermarket and posted their location on Twitter or Facebook.
Monash University crime prevention expert Dr David Baker said such a site was open to abuse and needed to be handled carefully.
“Hopefully it would be very few, but you could see some people use the site in a bad way,” Dr Baker said.
Website co-creator Barry Borsboom said it was a satire about people who expose themselves on social network sites.
Published Feb 20, 2010
