Luckily, there’s a solution: enabling two-factor authentication.īut depending on the method you choose, that solution is still somewhat flawed. The worst part is, it isn’t always the fault of the user.įor example, in 2019, Facebook admitted that millions of users’ Instagram accounts and their passwords were being stored in plain text online.Īnd earlier this year, as a result of that (now patched) vulnerability, the personal data of over 500 million Facebook users were posted in a low-level hacking forum. In fact, lives have been ruined as a result of hacked Facebook accounts. When this happens, there’s a lot more at stake than Facebook and its partners having access to your personal information. It is, unfortunately, not uncommon for social media accounts to get compromised, thanks to cybercriminals. Read: FTC sues Cambridge Analytica, settles with former CEO and app developer, alleges they deceived Facebook users about data collection: - FTC July 24, 2019Īs a result, 50 million Facebook profiles were mined for data, thus proving that even official Facebook apps are cause for concern.įor an in-depth discussion on the scandal, see The Verge’s YouTube video below:įacebook isn’t the only concern you should have. In 2014, Academic Aleksandr Kogan created a Facebook app and paid users to take a psychological test while the app collected the user’s information. In fact, you should automatically assume that any website or app owned by Facebook also collects all the information you put into it.Īnother thing to be wary of is the apps you use on Facebook, as it’s not unheard of for an approved app to turn into a huge privacy concern.įor example, in 2018, it came to light that Cambridge Analytica (allegedly) used data collected from 50 million people on Facebook to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. Unfortunately, since Facebook acquired the app in 2014, it’s safe to say it’s no longer ideal for privacy-conscious users. Two examples are Instagram and WhatsApp – the former of which is meant to be a secure, encrypted communication platform. You cannot access your Facebook direct messages from this app, but rather, you'll have to go the extra mile and download Facebook's fully independent Messenger app (also on Uptodown) in order to check your Facebook messages from your device.Facebook also has access to your browsing history and location, along with your device data (all devices used to access the site) and, if you use Facebook’s built-in “send money” feature, your payment details and billing address.Īnd what about the websites and platforms owned by Facebook? Albeit, it does come with a single (but significant) setback. You can upload photos and videos straight from your gallery directly onto your account.įacebook for Android is truly a must-have app for anyone that's pretty active on the world's #1 social network. One of the best features of this official Facebook app is the option to share all kinds of content. That said, gaming aside, you'll get all the same updates from friends and family, browse your timeline, upload and save photos, change your status, and comment -the whole lot from anywhere. The only main difference you'll notice is that you can't play Facebook games on it. Once again, this app is here to simplify your Facebook experience by providing all your favorite features from one spot.Įssentially, this Facebook app has the same features as its original browser version. Facebook is the official Android app for the iconic original social network par excellence.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |