Digital Life: Unwritten rules for vacation

USA TODAY columnist Steven Petrow offers advice about digital etiquette.

Q: My husband and I are taking the kids to our beach house for the Fourth of July week, and I remember being elbowed last summer by some Facebook friends after posting fun family photos – admittedly a lot of them — on my page. I think I’ve learned a lesson – that less is more – but now I’m worried that one of us will break some other unwritten rule of vacation manners. What should we be doing — or not doing — to avoid tripping up?

— Humbled on Holiday

A: That’s certainly a timely question, as the AAA predicts that more than 41 million Americans will take to the highways and skies this coming July Fourth weekend.

Count me among them, although note that I’m not telling you exactly when I plan to be away. In fact, I’d urge you to think about safety before you start posting or tweeting about your holiday plans and letting every Tom, Dick, and Burglar know when your nest is empty. If your kids are old enough to have their own social media accounts, you should remind them of that rule, too. It’s well known that thieves lie in wait to see who’s telling the world: NO ONE IS HOME.

Here’s something else to think about before you pack your bags — in fact, before you leave the office. When setting your out of office [OOO] message for email and voicemail, keep it simple and devoid of details. The best OOO is something like: “I’m out of the office until …. I’ll get back to you when I return or if necessary, please contact so and so.” Don’t say you’ll be on vacation, and don’t embellish the message with any detail that might seem like bragging, such as “I’ll be at my amazing beach house for the next ten days.” Really, who needs to know this?

As you discovered last year, it’s best to avoid the impression that you’re showing off in the photos you post. Nobody needs to see 20 to 30 pix a day (curating each day’s posts to two or three of your best shots will do, thank you), and nobody wants to see what are commonly referred to as “wealthies,” defined by Urban Dictionary as photos that display “how offensively rich you are.” Anything ostentatious counts as a wealthie — no photos of the new boat or the over-the-top lake house, please. Other common-sense social media rules include:

-- If you’ll be with other friends or family members, ask them if it’s okay to post photos they’re in – and triple check before you post any photos of someone else’s kids. For both privacy and safety reasons, many parents will rightfully just say “no.” Respect their wishes, no matter how cute the kid in the photo.

-- Don’t tag others without their permission, since some may be too revealing (skimpy bathing suits, cocktail or cigarette in hand, for instance), or you may be inadvertently alerting their friends that no one is home (or their boss, that they’re not really sick).

-- Keep any complaints to a minimum. No one will feel empathetic if you complain about the weather, bad food, or a rotten tour guide while they’re slaving away back at their desks.

-- As I’ve said before, "Think twice, post once."

As for headphones and earbuds, wear them with caution. They not only make you a target for muggers in an unfamiliar location, they also cut you off from your vacation environs. There’s so much to hear as well as see when you’re in a new place, so get out of your cocoon as much as possible and encourage your kids to, as well. Or just take away their earbuds at certain times.

Finally, as I mentioned recently: Be mindful of others nearby when you’re using your selfie stick – and watch out for others wielding theirs. They’re going to be everywhere you go this summer. Nothing ruins a good photo, or a whole vacation, quite like a poke in the eye.

With all that said, safe travels!

Submit your question to Steven at stevenpetrow@earthlink.net. You can also follow Steven on Twitter: @StevenPetrow. Or like him on Facebook at facebook.com/stevenpetrow.