This week, Facebook introduced a new feature called “one time password“:
[W]e’re launching one-time passwords to make it safer to use public computers in places like hotels, cafes or airports. If you have any concerns about security of the computer you’re using while accessing Facebook, we can text you a one-time password to use instead of your regular password.
Simply text “otp” to 32665 on your mobile phone (U.S. only), and you’ll immediately receive a password that can be used only once and expires in 20 minutes. In order to access this feature, you’ll need a mobile phone number in your account. [Emphasis added]
I actually really think this is a nice feature, but the fact that you must provide Facebook (who has had numerous issues with privacy in their short history) with your cell number to use this is a huge warning sign to me.
Call me cynical/skeptical/paranoid but providing this information to Facebook is opening the door for this information to later be shared/sold however Facebook wants. All it takes is a privacy policy change on Facebook and the next thing you know you are getting calls/texts about the latest Facebook Visa card and/or your Facebook “friends” (you know, the people you never actually talk to) now have access to your cell number. Again, judging from Facebook’s track record I believe my concerns here are valid.
As you probably know (or can tell) I am not a Facebook user, but for those of you who are, will you be using this function? Are you at all concerned about the privacy issues which could result from this?
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I’m not paranoid about security, but I try not to publish certain information, like my phone number, or GPS location. I’ll never give Facebook my number, because even if I tell them it’s ‘private’ information, they can change their privacy policies, and my default settings at any time. It’s probably in the disclosure when you start a Facebook account that they are allowed to do this. If they were a company that had a reputation for respecting user’s privacy, I might try this. As it stands, I keep my profile fairly private, giving me control over who can view my information and how much of it strangers have access to.
I think facebook and everything out there has more than enough info on me and it is only getting worse soon everyone will have some kind of chip with gps so there will be no escape sounds funny but I bet it will happen.
It is a catch 22 – they are providing a new secure way for you to protect your account and at the same time you have to give them your cell phone number. For a lot of people the risk of accounts being stolen etc. that used to happen a lot on public computers will be removed, perhaps at a cost?
I didn’t have to provide this when I set up my Gmail account about 4 years ago. Of course back then it was based on an invite system.