I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve seen quite a few photos of my friends ’vaccination cards on social media. I can’t tell you exactly how many – because, frankly, I forgot—but I can tell you that every time I saw it it generated a mixed reaction. For one thing, I loved having my friends post, many of whom are health workers or educators, received a vaccine. But another part of me felt uncomfortable. Posting a photo with personal and vaccine information seemed like a bad idea.
Apparently, the Federal Trade Commission share my discomfort. In a blog post on Friday, the agency sternly stated that social media is no place to share your covid-19 vaccination cards. It’s soft punished people celebrating their second dose of covid-19-The current vaccines approved in the U.S. require two shots, with “the dizzying enthusiasm that is usually reserved for weddings, new babies, and other life events.”
I totally believe that people have a right to be happy with the vaccine. This pandemic has been terrible and devastating. And really, if you’ve already gotten the vaccine, I’m very much so happy for you and i hope you feel a little more at ease. However, a celebratory image is not worth the trouble it could pose on the road.
“Please don’t! You could invite identity theft, “wrote Seena Gressin of the FTC, a lawyer in the agency’s consumer education and business division.
According to the agency, the covid-19 The vaccination card contains important information about you, such as your full name, date of birth, where you received the vaccine, and when you got it. Posting this on social media is like voluntarily giving bad actors to those they are looking for.
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Gressin compared identity theft to a puzzle, consisting of pieces of your personal information. You don’t want to give identity thieves what they need to finish your puzzle, he said.
“One of those pieces is your date of birth,” Gressin said. “For example, just by knowing your date and place of birth, scammers can sometimes guess most of the digits of your Social Security number. Once identity thieves have the pieces they need, they can use the information to open new accounts in your name, claim taxes for themselves and commit other identity thefts. “
Another concern, as the New York News, is that vaccine cards could be counterfeited by people who have not received a vaccine or who do not plan to obtain one to access jobs, restaurants or events. A December report published in the UK, The Sun, claimed that some people were already selling counterfeit vaccination cards a TikTok.
Even worse, the Times claims that even scammers could use them information to convince people to pay for the second dose of their vaccine or any future booster. In the US, government-bought vaccines are given free of charge, although the vaccination provider may charge an administrative fee for firing someone, depending on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The list of possible falls on an innocent photograph can go on and on.
This is not to say that government officials and experts say that no image can be posted about this important moment on social media. However, they have a suggestion: Take a picture of the vaccine adhesives published in some places. Or the bandage in the arm from the injection. According to the FTC, the latter gives you the opportunity to “show off your tattoos and deltoids at the same time.”
I personally like the sticker. And hey, we already have experience taking selfies with “Voto” stickers. Doing so with the “I got my Covid-19 vaccine!” the stickers will be a walk through the park.
It’s better to be safe than sorry.