by Julia Dunnigan
If you’re an active Facebook user, you probably log on at least once a day. Consider Facebook an integral part of your social life like 22 percent of users? It’s likely you check in five or more times EACH DAY. Any device that has access to the Internet gives people access to Facebook, and anyone can access Facebook as much as they want to.
Recently, the social networking giant implemented a plan to keep its site safe: it started locking people out of their accounts on purpose. The profiles are still part of Facebook, but users are not able to log in until they submit a government issued ID if they have been locked out. It probably sounds like a scam to you, as anything that asks for very personal information or documents usually is. But this time, it isn’t.
People who were locked out contacted Facebook because they thought they had been hacked or scammed, only to find out that Facebook did it intentionally. In light of the recent Manti Te’o hoax and the popular series “Catfish: The TV Show on MTV, many have become worried about other people making fake profiles and posing as people they are not. Facebook has taken notice and has started to randomly lock users out of their accounts to verify that they are who they say they are and to prevent more hoaxes.
Facebook Fun Facts
- 6 of 10 Facebook users are female. (Mediabistro/AllTwitter )
- More than half of all Facebook access is mobile. (All Facebook)
- 210,000 years of music have been played on Facebook (thru 2012. Gizmodo)
- There are 1.2 billion Facebook users worldwide (StatisticBrain)
- Israel (11.1 hours), Argentina (10.7) & Russia (10.4) Win, Place and Show for averaging the most Facebook hours per user per month. (StatisticBrain)
- The average Facebook user has 130 “friends.” (Mediabistro/AllTwitter)
Many people are finding fault with the new Facebook policy saying they did not have to submit an ID when they signed up, wondering why should they have to now. Others have pointed out that what Facebook is doing is legal, and you have the right to not use the social media site.
If you do find yourself locked out, contact Facebook before submitting an ID to find out why you are being locked out and to see if they can restore your account without having to submit one. Facebook has had to apologize to hundreds of users for locking them out, and you could be next.
See also:
- Blogging 101: Introducing the Modern Blogger, 3/25/13
- Where For Art Thou? Facebook Knows, 2/15/13
- Social Media Matters: Instagram, 12/27/12
- Facebook Governance Vote, 12/9/12
