Facebook Wants Your Phone Number, But Should You Give It?

Facebook wants users' phone numbers to increase security, but the request is causing concern about the social network's ability to secure their data and raising suspicion about its true intentions.

Facebook is rolling out a new security feature to text users' mobile numbers a new password in the event of a security breach. The move comes on the heels of a rash of high-profile hacks to other social networks like LinkedIn, and follows security disruptions on Facebook this past winter.
Facebook confirmed the upcoming change with TechCrunch. Soon, every user will see a link at the top of their NewsFeed directing them to Facebook's security page, where they can enter in their mobile phone number in order to beef up security.
Naysayers may hesitate to give Facebook their phone number because they fear the company would risk alienating its user base by selling the numbers to advertisers, but this is an unlikely scenario. Facebook's worth rests in its massive coterie of users, and the company may not want to take that kind of risk, especially as it seeks to stabilize operations in light of its rocky IPO.
Providing even more personal data to a company at risk for a breach of that very information seems counter-intuitive, but the measure will help users, especially in the wake of high-profile massive breaches at other major social networks.
Some could wonder why Facebook just send people a message about security breaches on the website itself. The company can, but it may take users longer to see the message, whereas an SMS goes directly to phones. People who give Facebook their phone numbers are unlikely to receive an onslaught of cold calls and much more likely to stave off inconvenience stemming from a security breach, since they will get a new password more quickly by SMS than they would by regular e-mail.
Facebook is likely watching its own back by implementing this security change, but the measure will also help it avoid embarrassing security snafus, not to turn a profit off of phone numbers.
The social network experienced wide-scale breaches in the past, including a massive password leak spurred by Ramnit, a malicious software. As the company struggles to keep the financial world interested in its stock, Facebook cannot risk another high-profile leak, and it wants to minimize the fallout should one occur. The company already went after hackers in the past, but this step acknowledges that sometimes hackers outsmart even the highest-security sites.
Additionally, since Facebook cooperates with the police, it may not be wise for criminals to include their mobile numbers, but for law-abiding citizens, providing phone numbers could help officials track them down in case of an emergency.
Facebook may use its data to figure out a way to maximize profits, but the likelihood of the company giving phone numbers directly to advertisers to make a quick buck is extremely slim. People have more to gain than to lose by ponying up their phone numbers, since that information could provide a quick security fix for what could be an increasing problem in the future.  View the original article here