100Feed: ‘We Know Your House’ Posts Photos Of Your Home To Expose Twitter Risks

By Gerry Smith

One Twitter user wrote cheerfully “I’m at home sweet home Accounts.”

“In a connected society like today, people share way too much about themselves, which has never been a good thing,” the site’s creators said in an e-mail.

“The site was created to show its really dumb to check in at home, or say you’re at home with locations enabled,” they added. “People need to understand this, whether they like it or not, and a site of this nature attracts attention and gets results.”

Though they consider their site to be a public service, the site’s creators admit they initially went too far. When it first launched, they left users’ full Twitter handles and street addresses visible. After re-launching on Thursday, the site now partially censors that information, and only displays information from the past hour before deleting it to protect the users privacy, according to its creators.

WeKnowYourHouse.com is not the only site drawing attention to the security risks of over-sharing. The website “PleaseRobMe.com” uses similar techniques, but to do the opposite: to show when you’re not at home.

Its goal is to remind users of the potential dangers of posting about being away from home by aggregating location check-ins to create a list of empty homes that could be “new opportunities” for bank robbers.

The fact that people share too much about themselves on social media isn’t new. But the possible risks of doing so generated fresh headlines last week when the daughter of PC magnate Michael Dell posted a photo of her brother on the family jet.

The picture drew attention to how Alexa Dell often detailed her every move on Twitter, even broadcasting the exact time, date, location of her family. Her Twitter account was later shut down.

One security expert said the incident demonstrated how Twitter, in particular, raises concerns by instantly broadcasting users’ location information.

“You get that GPS location of exactly where you are,” Jason Thorsett, the director of operations at bodyguard firm Custom Protective Services, told BusinessWeek. “It’s just insane.”

12 Most Influential Ways To Raise Your Klout Score

By Jane Zuckerberg

In the social media world, Klout is the way to measure your social influence. Your Klout score can affect you in many ways: it determines what kind of perks you are eligible for, whether or not a brand responds to you, and even whether you get a job or not. That is why it is important to do everything you can to keep your Klout score up!

1. Connect networks
The more you connect, the more accurate your score. Klout is always adding new platforms to the algorithm so you can really account for all your social media influence.

2. Get RTs
Being influential on Twitter equals tweeting things of value. What better way to show you’re valuable than by having someone else share your thoughts? More retweets means higher Klout score.

3. Leave tips
Foursquare tips are one of Klout’s best kept secrets. When you leave a tip at a location and someone has done it (or adds it to their to-do list) that shows you are influential!

4. Likes
It is so easy to “like” something on Facebook. Anytime someone “likes” something of yours it adds to your social influence and raises your Klout score.

5. @replies
It’s not all about retweets! Tweeting something that promotes engagement and conversation, such as an @mention, increases your social influence according to Klout.

6. Comments
Similar to @replies, posts that elicit engagement in the forms of a comment shows you are influential. Remember, a comment takes a lot more effort than a “like” so comments are weighed heavier!

7. +1’s
Google+ has hopped on the Klout bandwagon and a +1 on G+ is the same as a “like” on Facebook. It’s not just about being influential on Facebook and Twitter but on social media as a whole!

8. Thanks and…
If we know that @mentions help your influence, why should we ever end the conversation! When someone retweets or engages with you, you can thank them and follow up with a question. Always keep the conversation flowing!

9. Choose the right blog platform
If you’re a blogger, Klout has a home for you! You can connect your blog to your Klout profile if you pick the right one. Klout doesn’t offer connection to all platforms so hope that yours is applicable.

10. Follower/following ratio
As a general rule, you should try and have more followers than people you are following. This ratio is taken into account when calculating your Klout score.

11. Remain active
Your Klout score can change in an instant. To remain high and steadily increase you need to be consistent on your social networks.

12. Be artistic
Klout is compatible with networks such as Flickr and Instagram. Being active on these sites and getting a lot of engagement will help your Klout.

Although the exact Klout algorithm is top secret, these are proven ways to increase your Klout! While Klout is not the only way to measure your social influence, it is one of the best indicators we have so far. Go out there and be influential!

What have you found works to boost your Klout score? Let us know in the comments below!

100Feed: Follow @SethPetersonLA Before the June 14, 2012 Season Premier of “Burn Notice”

Follow @SethPetersonLA on Twitter before the June 14, 2012 to help him achieve his 3000 follower goal before season premier of Burn Notice on the USA Network. Seth has starred in movies such as Godzilla (1998), Can’t Hardly Wait (1998) Hard Ground (2003), and Sedona (2011). He is best known for his role as Robbie Hansen from the television show Providence (1999-2002).

Peterson is married to actress Kylee Cochran and lives in Los Angeles, California. The couple appeared together in the Burn Notice (2007) Season 3 episode, “Enemies Closer” where Peterson reprised his role of Nate Westen and Kylee played a blackjack dealer, Ruth, who Nate married after meeting her in Las Vegas. They also appear together in the film Sedona. Prior to landing his role on Providence (1999-2002), Peterson worked as a part time office temp and in a bank’s Human Resources Dept.