Facebook Quizzes – Are they Safe?

We all see the various Facebook quizzes as we’re scrolling through our newsfeeds. They look tempting and harmless and who wouldn’t want to know what they would look like as a Hollywood movie star or the opposite sex? The problem is that these quizzes are not harmless – they can be downright dangerous. These apps exist to harvest your personal information. The popular app that I’m seeing in everyone’s news feeds that shows you what you look like as the opposite sex is a Russian company that makes apps to collect your personal data. When you allow the app to access your “user content,” you’re allowing them to access:

• Your name and photo
• IP address
• Browser type and browsing history
• Photo and media files
• Device storage
• Device camera

Think about that for a minute – just to see what you might look like as the opposite sex, you’ve allowed a foreign company to access your device’s camera, plus have access to all of your personal information. Is that really worth it?

Many of these quizzes that are taking you to an outside site will connect malware to your account. “The danger in each of these scenarios is that you’re giving away even more access to a hacker,” says Olivia Smith, Communications Manager of BBBCV. “By connecting these malware links to your social accounts, the hacker is one step closer to all of the accounts of your friends too.” “They can also pose as you and send their quiz or corrupted links to your friends, who will be more likely to take a quiz or click a link coming from a friend than if it was coming from an unknown user,” added Smith.

So maybe you’re not allowing apps to access your data, but what about the copy and paste quizzes where you copy what your friend posted, then replace with your answers? Many of these quizzes will have you answering questions like your favorite teacher, your first pet, where you were born, etc. And just like that, you have divulged your security answers that you use when setting up online accounts. Hackers will have a much easier time getting into your bank account.

Think before you take that next quiz and be skeptical. Consider if it is really worth opening yourself and your friends up to hackers just for the sake of a silly quiz.

If you’re interested in learning more for you or your business, contact the Q team today.