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You’re walking across campus. You haven’t told anyone where you’re going—but your phone did.

Your latest Instagram post tagged your dorm. Your fitness app tracked your morning run. Your Snapchat map shows your exact location to dozens of people.

Congratulations. You’re being tracked by satellites—and you gave them permission.

The Hidden Risks of Location Sharing

Every time you post, check-in, or tag a location, you’re leaving digital breadcrumbs that can be used to:

• Pinpoint your daily routines (home, work, class, gym)

• Track your current location in real-time

• Predict where you’ll be next

• Build a profile of your habits and relationships

This info isn’t just interesting to advertisers—it’s valuable to stalkers, scammers, and cybercriminals.

Real-World Consequences of Oversharing

• A student’s public post about skipping class led to a phishing email pretending to be their professor.
• A travel post from the airport tipped off someone that their apartment was empty.
• A selfie revealed badge IDs, schedules, or sensitive documents in the background.

Even harmless posts can become puzzle pieces when someone’s trying to put your life together.

How to Protect Yourself from Digital Surveillance

Turn off location tagging on social media.

Most apps allow you to disable location services for posts—use it.

Limit who sees your location.

Apps like Snapchat let you go into “Ghost Mode” or control which friends can view your location.

Think before you share.

Ask yourself:

• “Who can see this—and who might see it later?”
• “Does this post tell someone where I am—or where I’m not?”
• “Would I be okay with this post showing up in a job interview or news headline?”
• “Am I sharing this because I want to—or because I feel pressure to?”
• “Could someone use this information to manipulate, scam, or impersonate me?”

Set profiles to private—and review friend lists.

Make sure only people you trust can see your posts and stories.

• Facebook:��Go to “Settings & Privacy” > “Settings” > “Privacy”.
• Instagram:��Go to “Settings” > “Privacy” > “Account privacy”.
• X (formerly Twitter):��Go to “Settings and privacy” > “Privacy and safety”.
• LinkedIn:��Go to “Me” icon > “Settings & Privacy” > “Data Privacy”.
• TikTok:��Go to “Profile” > “Menu” > “Settings and Privacy” > “Privacy”.��

Review your app permissions regularly.

Some apps track your location 24/7, even when they don’t need to.

They’re Always Watching… and You Might Be Helping Them.
This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, think before you share. Because once your location is out there, you never know who is watching—or why.

Tune in next week for more from the Phish Files. Keep your signals low. Stay off the grid. Stay safe.

Download the Social Media Privacy Settings Guide

Want to Learn More?

National Security Agency (NSA) |

New York Institute of Technology |

CBC News (Canada) |

Microsoft |

Los Angeles Times |