What’s the first thing you should do if you suspect an intruder has broken into your home? Call the police obviously, or if you’re American, pull the gun out from under your pillow. You’re also likely to panic a little. What you probably shouldn’t do is eschew all of that and instead share the break-in live as it happens via Twitter and Ustream.

Being burgled or having an unwelcome stranger enter your house is one of the scariest experiences imaginable. You don’t know what they want, what they’re capable of doing, whether they’re armed etc. Faced with this situation, most people would call the police immediately or if they’re feeling brave, confront the intruder.

According to Business Insider, David Prager chose a different course of action. Prager is the COO (Chief Operating Officer) of Revision3, and technology writer/Web video star. Revision3 is an Internet television network closely linked to Digg via its founder, Kevin Rose.

While safely ensconced in his bed, Prager suspected someone had walked into his house. The first thing he decided to do was send a message to his followers on Twitter telling them exactly that. Then followed a stream of messages over the next half-an-hour describing what was happening and how Prager felt about it all.

After around 30 minutes of tweeting, in which time Prager failed to call the cops, this obviously-intelligent man decided now would be a good time to set up a live video stream of the event on Ustream. At this point the man was in Prager’s bathroom potentially passed out. The YouTube video below shows what happens after this point.

As you can see, the stranger had stripped off and climbed into one of the beds. Prager persuaded the intruder to get of the bed and then escorted him out of the house. It looks as though the man was a hobo who’d either got confused or a little drunk. No harm, no foul.

But that’s not the point. I find it incredible that any sane person would turn to Twitter first in a situation such as this. Then once the initial flurry of excitement was out of the way, take the time to set up a video stream. Is it just me or is that exhibiting very little common sense and a big portion of stupidity?

I know both Twitter and online video are growing sectors but when they are the avenues you choose to report an intruder entering your home, I think someone needs to take you to one side and have a quiet word.

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Entry was posted on Wednesday, March 11th, 2009 at 11:08 pm under Crime, Internet, Opinion, Social Media, Technology.

Read more entries by Dave Parrack.
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