Technology is awesome. It makes everything so much more convenient. However thanks to dishonest people in the world, it has its downside, too. It seems that almost everyone has a story about their email being hacked, credit card numbers being stolen or even worse, their identity being used.
Remember this the next time you want to post a picture or video like this to your Instagram, TikTok, Facebook or whatever social media people use today.
This was from a trip back in 2014 when I was all too happy to show off about flying from Melbourne to Bangkok to anyone who could see my Facebook page. That was before I read “Never Post A Picture Of Your Boarding Pass On Social Media.” They show that by posting your boarding pass, you are giving a whole bunch of info. Even if you blur out your personal information but leave the barcode, anyone can use an online barcode reader to get your information, which I didn’t know was possible. I found the above picture still posted to my account and uploaded it here. What do you know, there was my info (I’ve since removed my name, ticket # and barcode from the picture). With that simple information, someone could go and cancel your flights, change your seats or even get into your frequent flyer account and steal your points.
The article goes into more detail about how easy it is to search for barcodes on sites like Instagram or Twitter, particularly if you use a hashtag like #boardingpass. It’s kind of scary how easy it is to find things online if you know what you’re doing.
This is very important if you’re a political figure, like when US Senator JD Vance posted his boarding pass, including his frequent flyer number, on his Twitter account.
Remember this before you overshare on social media sites. Of course, you’re excited about your trip but don’t make it easier than it already is for someone to get your personal information.
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