Fact Check: Facebook Protect

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — Russian cyberattacks. We’ve warned you about them. Some of you may have received an email and alert from Facebook this week. Several of us at News10NBC got one.

Here’s a look at the email:

Your account requires advanced security from Facebook Protect

Your account has the potential to reach a lot more people than an average Facebook user. Hackers are often motivated to attack accounts that have a lot of followers, run important Pages, or hold some community significance.

To help defend against these targeted attacks, we require Facebook Protect for your account.

Turn on Facebook Protect for your account by 17 March 2022. After that, you will be locked out of your account until you enable it.

• We’ve already turned on advanced login protections for your account.
• To fully enable Facebook Protect, we’ll check your account for vulnerabilities, and help you resolve them.

Note: Facebook Protect isn’t available to everyone on Facebook. We require stronger security for your account because it has the potential to reach a large audience.

Thanks so much,
The Facebook Team

So is this a scam or legit? News10NBC’s Nikki Rudd is checking the facts.

A lot of us log-in every single day. Social media has become part of our lives. When that email popped up in my inbox, my first thought was it’s someone trying to get my Facebook log-in, but then I heard other people at work got the same email. When I opened Facebook on my phone the same message showed up reading, "Your account requires advanced security from Facebook Protect."

I did some research and reached out to Facebook. Turns out it’s legit. Facebook Protect was launched back in 2018. It was expanded ahead of the 2020 election and again last September. It’s a security program for people who are more likely to be targeted by malicious hackers including journalists and government officials. It helps Facebook users adopt stronger security protections like two-factor authentication and monitors for potential hacking threats.

So if you thought the email about Facebook Protect was a scam that is false.

If you got the email and want to turn on Facebook Protect here are some step-by-step instructions:

1. Click "Account" in the top right of Facebook.
2. Click "Settings & Privacy", then click "Settings".
3. Click "Security and Login".
4. Under "Facebook Protect", click "Get Started".
5. On the welcome screen, click "Next".
6. On the "Facebook Protect" benefits screen, click "Next".

Facebook plans to expand this program to more and more people this year.