Facebook quizzes and identity theft, Are you at risk?

Facebook quizzes and identity theft, Are you at risk?

There are several ways to compromise your personal security.  One of the newest ways for internet thieves to take advantage of consumers is now quizzes.  But worry not!! Now Facebook is banning personality quiz apps, which have for years been able to collect and store a great deal of information about their users. The ban comes a year after the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where it came out that the data firm had acquired information on up to 87 million people through the quiz app “thisisyourdigitallife.” Yikes!!!

The ban on personality quizzes is part of a broader crackdown by Facebook on what developers are able to do and access across its platform. Facebook is locking down a number of older APIs for accessing user data, and it’ll prevent developers from accessing new data if a person hasn’t used the app in the past 90 days.

Facebook announced some more serious changes more than a year ago, and some of them, like the 90-day access limit, are going into force NOW. Facebook will not say the personality quiz ban is because of Cambridge Analytica, instead, it’s about removing apps with “minimal utility” from the platform. But, it is a little coincidental, don’t you think?

So are all facebook quizzes bad? No.  Some are just for good innocent fun. The idea of this article is not to scare you but to make you aware. The ban on personality quizzes is part of a broader crackdown by Facebook on what developers are able to do and access across its platform. It is ok to take part in quizzes, but keep a few things in mind:

1. Take quizzes only from respected websites.
2.  Be cautious of the ones that ask for your email address to access your results.
3. Never input personal information that is the answer to any security questions that you have used for personal sites such as, but not limited to: 

1.  What is the first concert you attended?
2. What is the make/model of your first vehicle? 
3. What is the name of your childhood best friend? 

The internet is an amazing place for games, shopping, learning, recipes, and every day conveniences. It’s how some people have the ability to work from home, share with family far away and even visit the doctor! Sadly, It’s also a breeding ground for malicious people to take advantage and steal. By all means, I recommend you enjoy all the options, convenience, and entertainment. Just please use caution as well.

Have further questions about internet security, or are worried that your personal information is at risk?

Call us today for a no obligation discussion on how we can help you.

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