Improve Your Facebook Account Protection

If you are one of the millions of web users with a Facebook account, you might have seen a message at the top right corner of your home page, warning that your account may be experiencing low protection. These warnings can be frightening, because they aren't well explained. The lack of clarity and information about the warning has led some people to believe it is a scam affecting the Facebook website. However, it is a valid message from Facebook, encouraging users to increase the security of their accounts - in a manner of speaking. Following Facebook's link will trigger a series of questions and tasks to perform that make it easier for you to get your account back if it is compromised by hackers. Facebook now requests an alternate e-mail address to which they can send a replacement password, if yours is compromised, the answer to a secret question, and even your cell phone number to protect your account.

There is nothing inherently sinister about Facebook asking for this information, but the instructions do not make it clear if the information is collected for password purposes or not. Facebook's security measures are often considered unclear. If you are uncomfortable with adding your contact information, including mobile phone numbers and alternate e-mail addresses because of spam or security considerations, you do not have to add it to Facebook's database.

The blog Naked Security points out that the best ways to increase your Facebook security is to create difficult passwords that hackers aren't likely to guess, to create fake answers to your secret questions, and to make sure that the passwords for your Facebook account and e-mail account are not the same.

You should also be sure to use a different password for your alternate e-mail account, to increase your overall security. Offering more options for recovering your account password is a good idea, but Facebook doesn't need to resort to scare tactics to encourage their use.

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