Lauren Feiner reports that the number of hijacked Facebook and Instagram accounts is on the rise, and according to state attorneys general, it’s up to Meta to address this issue. A collective of 41 attorneys general penned a letter to Meta’s top legal executive this Tuesday, urging the tech giant to ramp up efforts to curb the surge in scam-related account hijackings that not only compromise user privacy but also overburden the resources of the attorneys general’s offices.
The attorneys general highlight that this issue has significantly worsened in recent times. For instance, in New York, complaints about Meta account takeovers soared from 73 instances in 2019 to an alarming 783 by the close of 2023.
Social networks response? Charge for security!
Social media platforms have been wrestling with issues like spam, fake profiles, and security breaches for quite some time. Recently, two major players announced their strategy to tackle these problems: making users foot the bill.
Twitter was the first to make a move by transforming its SMS-based two-factor authentication (2FA) into a paid feature. Starting March 20th, users will have to either adopt an app-based 2FA, shell out $8 to $11 monthly, or disable this essential security measure. This shift is part of a broader scheme to nudge users towards a subscription model. Elon Musk also echoed a sentiment on Twitter suggesting this change could reduce costs associated with spam SMS fees charged by mobile carriers.
Shortly after, Meta rolled out a security subscription of its own. It revealed a plan for a subscription service akin to Twitter Blue, aiming to bolster “emerging creators” in expanding their reach. This package offers not just a blue verification tick and better visibility but also promises direct support from real people and proactive monitoring against potential impersonators targeting rising online stars.
At first glance, these initiatives might seem reasonable. Twitter still offers a no-cost app-based 2FA, generally seen as more secure, encouraging a shift to a safer practice. Meta’s approach mirrors a typical business tactic of offering advanced, priority support for an additional charge, addressing a genuine issue in customer service. The move comes after it became evident that users were resorting to unauthorized services for account recovery following security incidents.