In the News
Once again, Facebook is under fire for privacy concerns. In Facebook won’t let you opt out of its phone number ‘lookup’ setting, Zack Whittaker at TechCrunch discusses the frustration of Facebook users given that their phone number, which was provided to Facebook in order to enable multi-factor authentication, is visible to anyone on the Facebook platform with no alternative to disable this access. Whittaker explains that user phone numbers can be accessed through Facebook’s ‘lookup setting’ by default regardless of the profile privacy settings that one has chosen to enable. Whittaker states that this is raising concern about the privacy risks of security functions such as two-factor authentication.
Our Take
Social media platforms continue to cause controversy as they attempt to increase security initiatives. Users want to add more security to their account through options such as multi-factor authentication, but if the reality of enabling it, in turn, creates a privacy concern for their information is it worth it? Phone numbers, though seemingly public information, can be used to log into accounts and can provide a malicious attacker with information about your physical location. Some users may be okay with Facebook allowing access to such information, but by making phone numbers accessible by default with no option to hide the numbers, Facebook reduces the autonomy that users have with their information. Until online platforms and accounts realize the importance of privacy in combination with security, and until users demand such an experience, the privacy risks of personal information exposure will not cease.
Recommendations
How can you protect your personal information from exposure and data misuse?
- Understand the risks of putting your personal information into the world, and only share what you have to
- Use safe password practices, and take advantage of Multi-factor Authentication where possible
- Enable privacy settings when possible
- Read a platforms terms & conditions carefully before accepting them
- Check your email, financial accounts, and credit reports regularly for abnormal activities