American Airlines Responds to Twitter Threat

Yesterday morning, a Dutch teenager issued a very serious threat against American Airlines.  The tweet threatened the airline with terrorist activity.  Using this popular social media tool, American Airlines immediately responded and swore to take action in response to the threat made against them. 

Despite both parties deleting the tweet, with Sarah deleting her entire twitter account, this incident shows the importance of social media in all aspects of life, including national security.  In the aftermath of September 11th, these threats are taken extremely seriously.

According to Twitter's "Guidelines for Law Enforcement". the information of a specific Twitter user can be turned over and used as evidence “if there is an exigent emergency that involves the danger of death or serious physical injury to a person that Twitter may have information necessary to prevent.”  While there has not been substantial information released concerning the incident, Dutch police tweeted an update as of this morning confirming the arrest of Sarah in response to this incident.  Despite the teenager tweeting at the airline multiple times in response to their response, it is clear that they are still taking these threats seriously and are taking action against her. 

A representative for the popular social media site told Business Insider, "We’re not in a state that we can communicate any state of charges at this point, we just thought it was neccessary to bring this out mostly because of the fact that it caused a great deal of interest on the Internet."  

After this incident, it is important to remember to be careful on social media sites.  What may seem like a joke to you can be taken extremely seriously, especially if the content is aggressive and threatening in nature.  This story also shows the emphasis on security that airlines are implementing.  While security can be a pain when it adds on time to your travels, remember the service that they are doing and the lengths that they go to keep travelers safe!

Protect Your Pockets

Did you know that each day an estimated 400,000 pick pocket incidents occur around the world? This statistic puts pick pocketing as one of the most frequent crimes inflicted upon tourists. You may think you’ve done a good job at disguising yourself from appearing as a tourist, but pick-pocketers do it for a living and are great at spotting tourists.

Being robbed is miserable regardless of where you are, but is even worse when you are in a foreign country: Especially if you are stripped of the only copy of your credit card, or even worse, your passport. Therefore, it is imperative that tourists are aware of the regularity of pick pocketing and do the best they can to avoid becoming a victim.

Unfortunately, pick-pocketers have mastered the tricks of the trade and have more than one trick up their sleeves. There are many approaches to pick-pocketing, so the best thing for you to do is to always be aware of your belongings and your surroundings. While I was abroad, I was extremely paranoid about pick-pocketers and always walked around with my hand on my satchel. Another satchel tip is to wear the satchel with the pockets facing inside, rather than the outside. This ensures people don’t have easy access to zippers or pockets. I know it may not be the most fashionable way to sport your satchel, but I promise it is worth it!

So, remember, pick-pocketers are everywhere and especially present in Europe! Be sure to pay close attention to your surroundings so that you don’t end up with empty pockets during your trip!

Check out the list below of the ten worst cities for pick-pocketers around the world before you embark on your next adventure!

1.     Barcelona, Spain

2.     Rome, Italy

3.     Prague, Czech Republic

4.     Madrid, Spain

5.     Paris, France

6.     Florence, Italy

7.     Buenos Aires, Argentina

8.     Amsterdam, Netherlands

9.     Athens, Greece

10. Hanoi, Vietnam

Top Safety Tips for Travel

While traveling abroad is a fun, rewarding life experience, there always come the fear of danger and safety issues. All travelers from any country should learn the dangers in foreign countries and how to protect themselves in the event of an emergency. There is always the possibility that something can go wrong, so it is better to be safe than sorry!

Here are some safety tips to remember when traveling:

1) Always have a travel buddy- It is very crucial to stick with a buddy while traveling abroad. This is a person that you can rely on and make sure will stick by your side for the trip. 

2) Keep a close eye of  belongings- In foreign countries, stealing and pick-pocketing are fairly common occurences. Always keep track of your luggage, wallet, purses and all of your belongings. 

3) Make sure cash and cards are separated- Make sure that you keep your cash and credit cards are in different locations. This is so that in the event you lose your wallet, you are not completely lost and out of any form of currency. Keep some cash in your wallet and some in a zipped up bag in your luggage. 

4) Enroll in the STEP program: The Student Traveler Enrollment Program is a government initiative to keep Americans safe while traveling abroad.  This is a free service provided by the United States government. The program allows travelers to enter their trip information so the Department of State can assist in the event of an emergency. It will provide travelers with information on US embassies while abroad.

5) Invest in a communication plan- Before traveling abroad, make sure you have a way of communication so that you can keep in touch with family and friends. This is a huge safety precaution because if you or your fellow travelers get lost, you can get a hold of eachother. Call your cell phone provider and find out more information about a global plan. 

6) Make sure to have all travel documents: Do not travel to a foreign country without the necessary travel documents such as, your passport, flight tickets, and other important papers. It is a good idea to scan all of the important travel documents you bring abroad. Having multiple copies of your passport, tickets, and other papers is very important if you happen to lose them.