• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
TechEngage

TechEngage

Technology news and opinions

  • Tech News
  • Reviews
  • How-to
  • Science
    • Energy
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Space
  • Apps
  • More
    • Opinion
    • Noteworthy
    • Roundups
    • Culture
    • Blockchain
      • Cryptocurrency
    • Events
    • Deals
    • Startups
      • Startup Submissions
  • Videos
  • Login
Social Media Networks

Facebook is tricking users into receiving ads on 2-factor authentication phone numbers

Avatar for Fazeel Ashraf Fazeel Ashraf September 28, 2018

Facebook 2-factor authentication
Facebook has admitted that the phone number users provide for 2-factor authentication, will receive ads. This has caused outrage among many of the users.

Facebook has admitted that the phone number users provide for 2-factor authentication, will receive ads. 2-factor authentication is a security measure that uses a second preventive method to protect the users’ accounts.
Two University professors from the US were able to prove that Facebook gathers information the users did not provide for the purpose of receiving ads, did indeed receive ads.
It’s been quite shocking, yet not a least bit surprising that Facebook has stooped down to such measures to squeeze every cent from its user base.

Such slimy tactics have been used by Facebook for years. The company has harvested users’ details who explicitly did not give them out. One of these tactics is the Facebook phone app asking for permission to access users’ contact books.

This way Facebook has access to friends and family’s numbers, without them knowing. Facebook feels that users providing their phone numbers for 2-factor authentication is not a big deal.
They are shamelessly targeting these phone numbers and sending them ads. Users did get a sense of Facebook’s shady tactics a few months ago. Users complained that they were getting bombarded with notifications on the phone number they had provided for 2-factor authentication.
Facebook was quick to quash all these claims, by saying it was a bug and not something intentional.
Facebook’s then Chief Security Officer Alex Stamos responded in a blog post, “The last thing we want is for people to avoid helpful security features because they fear they will receive unrelated notifications.”
So maybe he forgot this little detail, or just straight up lied about the Silicon Valley giant’s aggressive ad targeting. Techcrunch wanted to confirm whether users’ were being sent ads on their two-way factor authentication phone number, because it seems too low, even for Facebook.
A spokesperson did reply back to Techcrunch with this statement, “We use the information people provide to offer a better, more personalized experience on Facebook, including ads.”
He further added, “We are clear about how we use the information we collect, including the contact information that people upload or add to their own accounts. You can manage and delete the contact information you’ve uploaded at any time.”

Also Read: Instagram founders have left the company due to disputes with Facebook

A spokesperson also said that users could use other 2-factor authentication methods. There is one other authentication technique, which doesn’t require users’ phone numbers. Users can get login codes from a third party authentication app.
It is yet to be determined if this third party authentication will be any better. But this option was added only back in the month of May.

Facebook has faced a lot of backlash from consumers and US policy makers, and rightly so. The company has been very secretive about the way it handles users’ data. Zuckerburg was asked a really tough question back in April but his company managed to avoid any serious repercussions.

This time the public won’t be so kind, especially after hearing that Facebook is secretly planning to inject ads into Whatsapp too. When that day comes, it will be a dark day indeed.

Related Tags: Facebook Facebook ads

Related Stories

  • Facebook refuses to give ID theft protection to hack victims!

    Facebook refuses to give ID theft protection to hack victims!

  • Britain's health chiefs directed to introduce safe limits for social media use

    Britain's health chiefs directed to introduce safe limits for social media use

  • Latest Facebook security snafu means we should all go change our passwords

    Latest Facebook security snafu means we should all go change our passwords

Avatar for Fazeel Ashraf

Fazeel Ashraf

Author @TechEngage

IT graduate from the National University of Science and Technology with a passion for writing. When not reading or writing, I can be found listening to rock and metal or playing some classic jams on my electric guitar. I’m also a big fan of horror movies.

Reader Interactions

Join The Discussion: Cancel reply

Please read our comment policy before submitting your comment. Your email address will not be used or publish anywhere. You will only receive comment notifications if you opt to subscribe below.

Primary Sidebar

Become a contributor

We are accepting contributor applications. All applications will be decided in 3 days after applying. To learn more click here.
TechEngage-Apple-News
TechEngage-Google-News

Recent Stories

  • Samsung S21 series is here and we’ve got everything you need to know
  • Best laptop cooling pads for 2021 on Amazon
  • Best standing desks on Amazon for 2021
  • 14 best educational apps of 2021
  • Best long-range outdoor WiFi extender for 2021
Top Tech Journalists

Top Tech Journalists I Follow in 2021

Featured image for best to do list apps

Top 10 best to-do list apps 2021

protect email from hacking

How to protect your email from hackers

A design of how to install an apk file on android phone post

How to install APK files on your Android phone

Footer

About Us

  • Advertise
  • Send us a tip
  • Startup Submission Questionnaire
  • Community Guidelines
  • Corrections Policy & Practice
  • Contact us

Discover

  • About
  • Newsroom
  • Advertise
  • Brand Kit
  • Partners
  • Staff
  • Our Ethics
  • Publication Principles
  • Contact us

Legal Pages

  • Reviews Guarantee
  • Community Guidelines
  • Cookies Policy
  • Comments Policy
  • Our Ethics
  • Disclaimer
  • GDPR Compliance
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Download our apps

TechEngage-app-google-play-store

Copyright © 2021 · All Rights Reserved · TechEngage® is a Project of TechAbout LLC.
TechEngage® is a registered trademark in United Kingdom under Trademark Number UK00003417167 and is ISSN protected under the ISSN 2690-3776 and OCLC Number 1139335774.