Getting locked out of one's Facebook account is a common occurrence and happens when most unexpected. Although users used to be able to get in touch with Trusted Contacts in order to access their account, that ship is soon sailing.
Facebook Trusted Contacts Offered a Backup Plan In Case of a Lockout
According to the story by Facebook, the social media platform offered a sort of backup sign-in procedure for users that get locked out of their account. The feature was called Trusted Contacts and consisted of the user choosing three to five friends to help them log back into their account should an event of a lockout happen.
Trusted Contacts was a feature that Facebook released in order to make sure its users never lose permanent access to their accounts. The feature, however, is going away soon and users will have to look for an alternative procedure in the event of a lockout.
Facebook Protect Alternative Not Available to All Users
The feature, as of press time, can still be accessed through the "Password and security" menu of Facebook but in a few weeks, friends will no longer be able to give them access to their account in an event of a lockout. The social media platform is recommending users try out Facebook Protect.
The problem, however, is that Facebook Protect is only available to those that are Facebook Page admins and accounts that have a broader audience. To add, the social media platform is also suggesting users employ two-factor authentications which allow them to sign in via a code on SMS or other authentication apps.
Suggestions Include Routinely Changing the Password
Since Trusted Contacts is phasing out, users are encouraged to ensure that their email addresses and phone number connected to their accounts are updated. A suggestion noted on Screen Rant to increase account security is to "routinely change the password they use to log in."
It was also noted that coming up with hard-to-guess passwords is important and that common words or names shouldn't be included. Suggestions include using numbers, symbols, and a mixture of upper and lower-case letters.
Read Also: Facebook Now Allows Users to Change Ad Preference and Post Audience
Importance of Limiting People with Access to the Users' Account
There are certain apps available that function similar to Facebook's Trusted Contacts but it remains very important that passwords are shared only with people the user trusts. The article by Screen Rant says it is better to limit the number of people with access to the users' accounts.
Being locked out of one's account usually happens on two occasions, either the user has forgotten their password or their account has been compromised. While there are certain security steps that can be taken in order to prevent forgetting one's password, being compromised can make it harder for the users to redeem their account.
Related Article: Meta Lays Down What Data it Collects on Its Apps Through Privacy Policy Update
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Urian B.
