EQ : Social Security & What We Can Learn From Kim K’s Holdup

Sunday night, pack leader Kim Kardashian was held hostage and robbed at gunpoint during her stay in Paris. Kim K had the suite to herself at the Pourtalès Hotel while sisters Kourtney and Kendal were out partying with Kim's bodyguard by their side. The robbers were said to have dressed up in police uniforms and upon arrival, forced the concierge to give access to the Kardashian-West suite. Over 10 million dollars' worth of possessions (mostly jewellery) was stolen from Kim.

The hotel itself is claimed to be a low-key favourite for discreet celeb stays, yet somehow, these vigilantes found out where Kim was bunking during her visit for Paris Fashion Week.

How were the robbers able to track down the Kardashian's exact location?

According to Gizmodo, 'It's been known for some time that Kim and Kanye frequent their residence at the Pourtalès and updates to her social media appear to show her there on the night of the robbery.'

Now, here at EQ, we know first-hand how incredibly accurate the power of location targeting can be. Our technology is one of the best in the world for targeting your ideal consumer down to metres, all from information given off of a phone. And, if there is one thing the public knows as fact for the Kardashian Family it is that they are always on their smartphones, taking selfies and posting on social platforms.

Social media is a great promotional tool for brands and companies to use, however, if that brand happens to be a living, breathing human, it can be an easy way into a person's life. Celebrities should be weary when using social platforms that allow geo-tagging and check-ins, however, the content you post can give information away just the same. Prior to the robbery, Kim was snapchatting while in certain rooms of her suite that are descriptively unique to the hotel (such as the large windows).

For some, this scare may sound familiar. Children of wealthy families are constantly warned not to post sensitive content, such as images of their assets, on social sites for this exact reason. One publicised example occurred in 2014 when 19-year-old Aleem Iqbal had four of his luxury cars (Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, Ferrari and Bentley) set on fire by 'rich people terrorists' after constant social bragging (Nextshark.com, 2014).

So, what can we all learn from this scare? Perhaps, for one, don't showcase your wealth on social media - especially if you happen to geotag the photo. If you are concerned about your social media profiles then check your location settings on your social media accounts - those are generally default set 'on'.

We want to hear what your views on social media security are. Leave a comment below and let us know!