On March 1st, you may have received an email from Facebook about their expanding cybersecurity program, Facebook Protect. If you received this email, your account is one that Facebook has identified as high-risk for cyber-attacks. Accounts that are deemed to potentially reach more users than the average account, such as large businesses, those of public officials and political candidates, can expect to have received this notification. While the program is not new, it is now becoming a mandate for all accounts that qualify, and will be expanding to more accounts globally over the coming months.

Facebook Protect was first workshopped in 2018 and was released ahead of the 2020 U.S election to help further secure high-risk accounts from fraudulent activity. The program was optional to use and Facebook claims this program has been met with success.

Accounts that initiate Facebook Protect will need to set up two factor authentication by connecting either a cell phone or another email to their Facebook account. This system makes it more difficult for foreign parties to access your account without your knowledge. The site has promised easy set up and is consistently working to make sure the system provides a smooth sign-in process for users, with ongoing updates happening in the background once users initiate the program.

To set up Facebook Protect, you’ll need to go into your account settings under the “Security and Login” tab. At the top of the page, you will see a section for Facebook Protect where you will be prompted to learn more and go through the setup process. Once you are signed up, Facebook will begin to check your account for vulnerabilities and help you resolve them as issues arise.

If you have questions about enabling Facebook Protect, JET Advertising can provide step-by-step instructions and guide you through the process. Call 630-782-8100 to learn more and get started.