Facebook has once again come under fire for its questionable uses of personal information.
A tweet posted this weekend by Emojipedia founder Jeremy Burge revealed a worrying method for looking up specific profiles that most users are unaware of: the phone number you provided for two-factor authentication.
Facebook allows people to search for profiles using phone numbers linked to a particular account, even if you’ve chosen to hide this information from the public. Profiles can also be searched by phone number in the Messenger app.
But, it was not previously clear that this also includes numbers provided to the site only for security reasons.
The shocking revelation comes months after Facebook admitted it was using these phone numbers for targeted ads.
A tweet posted this weekend by Emojipedia founder Jeremy Burge revealed a worrying method for looking up specific profiles that most users are unaware of: the phone number you provided for two-factor authentication
While Facebook users can limit who is able to search for their profiles using a phone number, you can’t opt out of it entirely.
Users are only given three options: Everyone, Friends of friends, and Friends.
Even for those aware of the ability to look up Facebook users by searching a phone number, it’s come as a shock to find out this also includes the phone numbers in some cases given only for account security.
Dailymail.com has reached out to Facebook for comment.
‘For years Facebook claimed the adding a phone number for 2FA [two-factor authentication] was only for security,’ Burge tweeted.
‘Now it can be searched and there’s no way to disable that.’
‘Facebook 2FA numbers are also shared with Instagram which prompts you “is this your phone number?” once you add to FB,’ Burge added.
Facebook allows people to search for profiles using phone numbers linked to a particular account, even if you’ve chosen to hide this information from the public. Profiles can also be searched by phone number in the Messenger app. And, you can’t opt-out.
While Facebook users can limit who is able to search for their profiles using a phone number, you can’t prevent it entirely. Users are only given three options: Everyone, Friends of friends, and Friends
To make matters worse, Burge claims users were not initially told that their phone number could be used for anything other than security purposes.
A screenshot of the two-factor authentication prompt states: ‘Add your phone number to help secure your account and more.’
But according to Burge, this addendum only came within the last few months.
‘The original FB phone number prompt never mentioned “and more,” Burge adds.
‘It was shown for MONTHS before a link was added in September 2018 clarifying “actually we’ll use this wherever we damn well please.”’
Many Facebook users were reluctant to use their phone number for two-factor authentication, despite the firm's insistence – a concern that further deepened amid numerous data scandals and reports from users who were sent ‘non-security related’ texts after signing up for the feature.
Security experts have slammed Facebook for a move that could put users at greater risk despite its promise of heightened security
Even for those aware of the ability to look up Facebook users by searching a phone number, it’s come as a shock to find out this also includes the phone numbers in some cases given only for account security
The firm introduced a way to use third-party authentication apps in lieu of phone numbers in May 2018. Before then, a phone number was the only mandatory option.
Academics and privacy experts have slammed Facebook for a move that could put users at greater risk despite its promise of heightened security.
‘Using security to further weaken privacy is a lousy move—especially since phone numbers can be hijacked to weaken security,’ tweeted Dr Zeynep Tufecki, a security researcher and columnist for the New York Times.
‘Phone number is such a private, important security link. But Facebook will even let you be targeted for ads through phone numbers INCLUDING THOSE PROVIDED *ONLY* FOR SECOND FACTOR AUTHENTICATION,’ Tufecki added in a follow-up tweet.
‘Messing with 2FA is the anti-vaccination misinformation of security. Unconscionable.’
Link hienalouca.comhttps://hienalouca.com/2019/03/05/facebook-is-slammed-after-its-revealed-profiles-are-searchable-by-phone-number/
Main photo article Facebook has once again come under fire for its questionable uses of personal information.
A tweet posted this weekend by Emojipedia founder Jeremy Burge revealed a worrying method for looking up specific profiles that most users are unaware of: the phone number you provided for two-factor...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves Online news HienaLouca
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/04/19/10570038-6770489-image-a-9_1551729319920.jpg
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