I don’t know about everyone, but I did see quite a few photos of friends ’vaccination cards on my social media feeds. I can not tell you exactly how much – because honestly, I forgot –but I can tell you that every time I saw one, it elicited a mixed reaction. On the one hand, I was delighted with my friends who posted, many of whom are health workers or educators, received a vaccine. Another part of me, however, felt uncomfortable. Posting a photo with personal and vaccine information just seemed like a bad idea.
Apparently the Federal Trade Commission share my discomfort. In a blog post on the subject posted Friday, the agency sternly stated that social media is no place to share your covid-19 vaccination cards. It softly disciplined people celebrating their second dose of covid-19-the current vaccines approved in the US requires two shots – with ‘the obscure enthusiasm usually reserved for weddings, new babies and other life events.’
I totally think people have the right to be happy that they got the vaccine. This pandemic was terrible and devastating. And truly, if you’ve already gotten the vaccine, I’m very stay for you and hope you feel a little more at ease. However, a festive picture is not worth appreciating the problems it can cause along the way.
‘Please – do not do this! You can invite identity theft, ”wrote the FTC’s Seena Gressin, an attorney with the agency’s consumer and business education division.
As explained by the agency, the covid-19 Vaccination card contains important information about you, such as your full name, date of birth, the place where you received the vaccine and when you received it. Posting it on social media is like willingly giving bad actors something they are looking for.
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Gressin compares identity theft to a puzzle made up of pieces of your personal information. You do not want to give identity thieves what they need to complete your puzzle, she said.
“One of the pieces is your date of birth,” Gressin said. ‘For example, by knowing only your date and time of birth, scammers can sometimes guess most of your social security number. Once identity thieves have the necessities, they can use the information to open new accounts in your name, claim your tax refund for themselves and do other identity theft. “
Another concern, as noted by the New York Times, is that the vaccine tickets can be counterfeited by people who have not received a vaccine, or who do not intend to get one to gain access to jobs, restaurants or events. A Sun report in the UK store in December said some people had already sold counterfeit vaccination cards on TikTok.
Worse, the Times says scammers can even use the information to help people pay for the second dose of their vaccine or any future booster shots. In the US, vaccines are bought by the government is given free of charge, although the vaccination provider may charge an administrative fee to give someone the chance, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The list of possible downfall over an innocent photo can go on and on.
That does not mean that government officials and experts say that you can not post photos about this important moment on social media. However, they have a suggestion: take a picture of the vaccine stickers published on some sites. Or of the connection on your arm from the injection. According to the FTC, the latter offers you the opportunity to ‘show your tattoo and deltoids at the same time.
I personally like the sticker. And hey, we already have experience shaking selfies with “I Vote” stickers. To do this with the “I got my Covid-19 vaccine!” squatters are a walk in the park.
It’s better to be safe than sorry.