From "airport pint" photos to travel-day countdowns, sharing holiday snaps online has become second nature for many holidaymakers. However, social media updates can sometimes reveal more than intended, leaving digital breadcrumbs that may indicate a property is unoccupied.
With UK residents making 26 million trips abroad last April to June alone, millions of homes sit vacant during peak travel seasons. During the same period, England and Wales recorded 327,000 domestic burglaries last year, highlighting the importance of taking steps to help protect your home while you're away.
To explore how social media posting habits may affect home security, we surveyed 3,000 UK adults about their social media habits while travelling. To build on these findings, we commissioned The Online Safety Experiment where a licensed Private Investigator investigated how quickly publicly available information could be used to identify home addresses and determine whether properties were unoccupied.
1 in 5 People Say They Don't Always Consider Property Security When Posting Holiday Updates
From asking neighbours to pop the bins out to setting lights on timers, typically people do anything they can to keep their homes from looking empty while away on holiday. Yet, our survey found that 41% of people share holiday updates on social media before or during their trip. In contrast, only 14% of people wait until they return home to share holiday snaps, and just 39% choose not to post about their holidays at all.
Surprisingly, among those who post about their holiday on social media, almost 4 in 5 (78%) claim to consider potential home security implications. However, 1 in 5 (22%) admit they rarely or never consider it, meaning some may be unaware of how much information their posts could reveal while on their travels.
63% of adults under 35 share holiday updates before or during their trip
Holiday posting habits vary dramatically across age groups. Our research revealed younger adults share holiday updates and location information more than any other age group while travelling. In contrast, older generations are the least likely to post holiday updates while away or share their location.
Ranked by risk level (descending) | Age demographic | Share holiday updates on social media before and during holiday | Often share location information* on social media | Overall social media risk score** |
1 | 18–24-year-olds | 63% | 46% | 55% |
2 | 25–34-year-olds | 63% | 38% | 51% |
3 | 35–44-year-olds | 46% | 26% | 36% |
4 | 45–54-year-olds | 37% | 18% | 28% |
5 | 55+ year olds | 24% | 11% | 18% |
Real-time holiday posting is most common among under-35s, with 63% of respondents aged between 18-24 and 25-34 sharing holiday content before or during their trip.
The youngest group (18-24) carries the highest risk score overall at 55%, largely driven by being 8% more likely to share their location than compared to 25-34 year olds.
Waiting until returning home to post remains relatively uncommon in both age groups under 35. Only 14% of 18-24s and 13% of 25-34s wait until returning home to post, while roughly 1 in 5 abstain from posting altogether (20% of 18-24s and 18% of 25-34s).
Moving into the mid-to-older age brackets, social media security risk drops as safer social media habits improve:
35 - 44 year-olds: Real-time holiday posting drops down to 46%, and location tagging falls to 26%. Almost 1 in 5 (18%) 35-44 year-olds wait until they return home, making this the safest age group of all active posters. Meanwhile, nearly a third (31%) of 35-44 year-olds do not post at all.
45 - 54 year-olds: This group continues the trend of lower-risk sharing, with only 37% posting while away and location sharing dropping to 18%. On top of this, 16% of 45-54 year-olds wait until they return home from holiday to post safely, and 39% abstain from posting entirely.
55+ year-olds: The over-55s are the safest generation overall, recording an average social media risk score of just 18%. Only 24% share updates while away and a mere 11% tag their location. While 12% wait until they return home to share holiday snaps on social media, 59% choose not to post holiday snaps at all.
Over 50% of Londoners share holiday updates while away
Results from our survey found that holiday posting habits vary between regions. Londoners recorded the highest social media risk score in our analysis, making them the region most likely to share holiday updates and location information while away. Whereas residents in the South East proved to be the most discreet, practising the safest social media habits.
Ranked by risk level (descending) | Region | Residents who share holiday updates on social media before and during holiday | Residents who often share location on social media* | Residents’ overall social media risk score ** |
1 | London | 53% | 36% | 45% |
2 | East Midlands | 43% | 26% | 35% |
3 | North East | 40% | 28% | 34% |
4 | North West | 43% | 23% | 33% |
4 | Wales | 45% | 21% | 33% |
5 | Northern Ireland | 49% | 16% | 33% |
6 | Scotland | 40% | 23% | 32% |
6 | South West | 40% | 23% | 32% |
7 | West Midlands | 37% | 25% | 31% |
8 | Yorkshire & The Humber | 35% | 25% | 30% |
9 | East of England | 40% | 19% | 30% |
10 | South East | 34% | 19% | 27% |
London
London tops the UK league table across every single metric, with residents were the most likely to share holiday updates and location information while away. Over half of residents (53%) upload holiday updates while away, while 36% regularly tag their location. Together, these behaviours contribute to London recording the highest social media risk score in our analysis.
East Midlands
The East Midlands ranked second in our analysis, with 43% of residents sharing holiday updates while they’re still away, while over a quarter (26%) regularly add location tags to their posts. With 11,064 residential burglaries recorded across the region in 2025, this findings highlight why residents may want to think about how much information they share online while away from home.
North East
Although the North East recorded fewer burglaries than some other regions, with 9,031 recorded in 2025, 40% of those surveyed admitted to posting holiday updates on social media while away. On top of that, 28% admitted to regularly tagging their location in posts.
North West
Tying with Wales for overall social media risk score (33%), 43% of respondents in the North West said they post holiday updates while away. Additionally, nearly a quarter (23%) regularly tag their locations. Sharing real-time updates and location information could make it easier for others to infer when a property is unoccupied.
Wales
Wales’ position in the top five is driven by a high proportion of its residents posting in real-time. Nearly half of Welsh residents (45%) post holiday updates while still away, and 21% regularly share location tags. Official police-recorded crime statistics show Wales recorded 5,607 residential burglaries in 2025, demonstrating why social media safety should remain a priority for Welsh households while away.
Northern Ireland
While a minority of residents use location tagging (16%), Northern Ireland stands out for recording the second highest rate of live posting in the UK, at 49%, trailing only London.
2,593 cases of burglary and theft were recorded between 2025-2026, residents should remain cautious when posting holiday content in real-time.
How holiday posting habits differ across social media channels
What we share on social media while travelling could directly impact our home security. To uncover how holiday posting habits affect risk, we analysed how travellers use different social media channels, focusing on real-time updates, location tagging, and whether users wait until they return home to share their trips.
Across every platform surveyed, roughly 80% of active users claim to be mindful of home security when posting about their trips, though sharing updates while travelling remains common. This suggests a difference between reported awareness and posting behaviour, and indicates that active posters across all channels far prefer sharing in the moment rather than retrospectively.
Platform | Users who share holiday updates on social media | Users who often share location on social media* | Users who wait until returning home to post |
Snapchat | 62% | 39% | 16% |
TikTok | 55% | 33% | 15% |
55% | 37% | 12% | |
53% | 33% | 16% | |
X (Twitter) | 51% | 32% | 14% |
50% | 28% | 16% | |
40% | 23% | 15% |
3 in 5 Snapchat users post holiday updates while away
Snapchat users reported the highest frequency of real-time sharing, with over 6 in 10 (62%) posting updates while on holiday. Nearly 4 in 10 (39%) regularly tag their specific location, while just 16% wait until they are safely back home before sharing memories.
Over half of LinkedIn users post when they’re out-of-office
More than half of LinkedIn users (53%) share real-time holiday updates on the platform, despite being out-of-office. Furthermore, a third (33%) regularly share their live location in posts.
Facebook users least likely to share their live location
Facebook users reported the lowest rate of location tagging at just 23%, as well as a lower tendency to share holiday updates while away (40%). However, delaying posts until after a trip is still relatively rare across the board, with only 15% of Facebook users waiting until returning home to post their holiday photos.
The Online Safety Experiment: What can publicly available social media information reveal?
To explore how publicly available online information can be pieced together, we commissioned Global Protect Risk & Intelligence to conduct The Online Safety Experiment. Using open-source intelligence (OSINT) techniques, Intelligence Director Colin Crowden investigated whether volunteers' home addresses, occupancy status and property details could be identified using only publicly available information. The investigation analysed the Instagram profiles of nine volunteers to determine their home address, whether they were currently away from home, and how long it took to uncover this information. The findings demonstrate how seemingly unrelated pieces of publicly available information can be combined to build a detailed picture of someone's home and routine.
Key Experiment Findings
78% of home addresses identified: The investigator successfully located the home addresses for 7 out of 9 volunteers based on social media presence alone, even though 4 of the 9 had their profiles set to private.
Retrieval times varied significantly, taking as little as 15 minutes for the fastest address (with the first lead found in just 50 seconds) and up to 18 hours for the slowest (with the first lead taking 6 hours).
Vacant homes identified: The investigator confirmed that 1 out of 9 volunteers was currently away on holiday, verifying in real time that their property was sitting empty.
Property floor plans discovered: Beyond finding physical locations, the investigator uncovered internal floor plans for 4 out of 9 properties, revealing the exact layout of the homes.
Colin Crowden, Intelligence Director at Global Protect Risk & Intelligence, comments on the experiment’s findings:
"Our investigation showed how information that appears harmless in isolation can become much more revealing when viewed alongside other publicly available information. This isn't about any one post creating a security risk; it's about how different pieces of information can build up over time.
Most people use social media to share moments with friends and family, and there's no reason they shouldn't continue to do so. Taking a few steps, such as checking who can see your posts and thinking about when you share updates, can help reduce how much information is publicly available while you're away.”
Top tips to protect your social media privacy, and your home, while on holiday
Protecting your privacy on social media while on holiday doesn't mean you can't document your trip.
Below, Colin Crowden and Helen Phipps share eight practical tips to help you enjoy your holiday while keeping your social media and home secure:
1. Avoid posting in real time
If you can, consider waiting until you are home to share holiday pictures and updates. Our research found that only 14% of people currently do this, but delaying posts can reduce how much information is publicly available while you’re away.
2. Review your social media privacy settings regularly
Review your followers and restrict who can view your posts, stories and tagged content. Setting your accounts to private helps ensure your holiday updates are only visible to people you know and trust.
3. Think beyond your own profile
Our experiment found that friends and family can sometimes share information that, when combined with other publicly available details, reveals more than intended. If you're travelling with others or someone is looking after your home, it's worth agreeing what you'll share online while you're away.
4. Turn off automatic location tags
If you like posting in real time while you're away, make sure your photos aren't giving away your exact whereabouts. Disabling geotagging or location services for social apps can help prevent you from inadvertently sharing your real-time location.
5. Be aware of what you’re posting
House numbers, street signs, vehicle registrations, school uniforms, work IDs and recognisable landmarks can all help identify where you live. The back-to-school photograph can be a gold mine of information. If possible, review older public posts and remove or limit access to any that reveal more personal information than you are comfortable sharing.
6. Audit your digital footprint
Periodically search for yourself online to understand what information is publicly available and remove or restrict anything that unnecessarily exposes your personal information.
7. Double-check your home insurance cover
Before setting off, review your cover dates to ensure your property remains protected for the full duration of your trip. Additionally, home insurance policies typically require you to take 'reasonable care' to secure your property. While the interpretation of reasonable care will depend on the circumstances and the terms of the policy, it's still worth taking a few simple precautions before you travel. If you're sharing updates while you're away, consider reviewing your privacy settings or waiting until you're home to post holiday photos.
8. Don't forget standard home security checks
Alongside digital safety, simple offline precautions can also make a huge difference. Set indoor lights on timer switches, double-check that all window and door locks are secure, set your burglar alarm, and ask a trusted neighbour to put out the bins and collect any packages left on your step so your home looks occupied while you're away.
Methodology
This research was conducted using a multi-layered methodology to measure social media user behaviour, physical crime context, and real-world digital security risks:
External Data: All external background statistics were sourced from reputable, legitimate sources, including the Office for National Statistics (ONS), and reflect data collected or published within the last 12 months.
National Survey: A nationwide survey of 3,000 UK adults was conducted by Censuswide between 03.07.2026 and 09.07.2026. The sample was nationally representative, covering a diverse cross-section of respondents from across the country. Figures in this study reflect self-reported social media posting habits, location sharing practices, and home security perceptions.
The Holiday Social Media Experiment: To evaluate how digital posts translate into physical vulnerability, Compare the Market partnered with Global Protect to conduct a controlled experiment. A licensed Private Investigator was tasked with analysing the Instagram profiles of a selected group of UK volunteers to determine their full home addresses, current occupancy status, and the precise time it took to uncover this information.
Safeguarding & Ethics: The safety, privacy, and anonymity of all volunteers involved were paramount throughout the study. All volunteer data was handled under strict confidentiality and securely destroyed upon completion of the campaign. All investigative procedures complied strictly with ethical research standards and data protection regulations.
Table findings - *This includes location tags, check-ins or mentions of places respondents visit. **Overall social media risk scores are the average percentage for each age group or region based on the proportion of users who post before and during their trip, and those who regularly share location tags on social media.
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As well as writing for Churchill and Privilege insurance websites, Karen’s CV includes working with M&S, Debenhams, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and John Lewis. With over 20 years of editorial experience for big household names she leads a talented content team with a focus on simplifying personal finance for everybody.
Stephen Maunder is an experienced personal finance editor, having spent more than a decade working for consumer print and online titles. He won several industry awards for his personal finance features at Which?, before becoming Deputy Editor at Compare the Market.
Helen’s our resident home insurance expert, as the former Head of Home Insurance at Compare the Market. She's also experienced with car insurance and pet insurance from her previous roles across commercial, partnerships and as a freelance consultant, working with more than 100 insurers across a variety of insurance products.
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What our expert says...
'''It's worth remembering that public social media posts could complicate matters if the worst happens. Home insurance policies typically include a 'reasonable care' clause, requiring policyholders to take sensible precautions to help protect their property. That's why it's important to take sensible precautions before you head away. Reviewing your privacy settings before you travel and being mindful of the information you share online is a useful step to take before and during your trip. If you're happy to wait, sharing your holiday photos once you're home is another simple way to limit how much information is publicly available while you're away."