Does using social media put you and your home at risk? Privacy is a growing concern in the digital age, so it’s important to understand how much information you’re sending out there with each tweet, and whether it’s compromising your safety.

Twitter is a wonderful tool for connecting with customers, learning new things and meeting like-minded people, but it also has some privacy implications.

This infographic from Confused.com explores whether and how social media puts people at risk.

For instance, the majority (78 percent) of 50 convicted burglars surveyed in the UK use social networks to target properties, and 54 percent noticed status updates or tweets from people discussing their whereabouts – both factors that make it easier for them to break in to your unoccupied house while you’re away on vacation, tweeting from a warm sunny beach.

The infographic shows which areas of the UK are targeted most by burglars (the biggest target is, perhaps unsurprisingly, London), and compares this to the number of Twitter, Facebook and other social media users across the region. While social media use isn’t always a precursor to a burglary, it’s important to be aware of what you’re tweeting, and when, to avoid giving away any unnecessary personal information.

Take a look at the full infographic about social media and safety below:

(Burglar image via Shutterstock)