Group of 40 State Attorneys General Urges Meta to Take Action on User Account Takeovers

Jace Dela Cruz, Tech Times 08 March 2024, 10:03 am

A coalition of 40 state attorneys general has sent a letter to Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, expressing their concerns regarding the surge in consumer complaints related to account takeovers and lockouts.

The March 5 letter said: "Consumers are reporting their utter panic when they first realize they have been effectively locked out of their accounts."

"Users spend years building their personal and professional lives on your platforms, posting intimate thoughts, and sharing personal details, locations, and photos of family and friends. To have it taken away from them through no fault of their own can be traumatizing," it added.

This picture taken on January 12, 2023 in Toulouse, southwestern France shows a smartphone and a computer screen displaying the logos of the social network Facebook and its parent company Meta.
(Photo : LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Images)

AGs Urge Meta to Take Action Against Account Takeovers

According to the Associated Press, these attorneys general urged Meta to enhance its measures to prevent account takeovers, a situation in which malicious entities gain access to users' accounts, change passwords, and engage in various harmful or illegal activities such as posting unauthorized content, reading private messages, and scamming contacts.

Their letter emphasizes the need for Meta to take immediate action to implement stronger mitigation tactics and provide assistance to users affected by account takeovers.

Additionally, they seek transparency from Meta regarding the frequency of account takeovers over the past five years, the potential causes behind this increase, and the existing safeguards to address such incidents.

The letter underlines the distress experienced by users upon realizing they have been locked out of their accounts, especially considering the significant amount of personal and professional data shared on these platforms over the years.

According to the letter, the loss of access to these accounts, often without any fault on the user's part, can be emotionally distressing and disruptive to their lives.

Furthermore, the attorneys general highlight the substantial financial risks associated with these account takeovers, particularly for users who rely on social media platforms for business purposes or have sensitive financial information linked to their accounts.

Meta Responds to the Letter

In response to the letter, Meta acknowledges the constant evolution of tactics employed by scammers to bypass security measures. The company asserts its significant investments in trained enforcement and review teams and specialized detection tools to identify compromised accounts and fraudulent activities.

Meta also noted its commitment to user safety by regularly sharing tips and tools for protection, providing avenues for reporting potential violations, collaborating with law enforcement agencies, and taking legal action against perpetrators of fraudulent activities.

"We invest heavily in our trained enforcement and review teams and have specialized detection tools to identify compromised accounts and other fraudulent activity," Meta said in a statement.

We regularly share tips and tools people can use to protect themselves, provide a means to report potential violations, work with law enforcement and take legal action," it added.