Facebook Groups Hacked by Protesters
Being the top social networking site also means that Facebook is a primo target for hackers, as we've seen time and time again. For the first time, though, a spate of Facebook hacks have come from hijackers claiming they did it for educational purposes. Earlier this week, a group of disgruntled Facebook users created fictional accounts and took advantage of a loophole that allows any member of a small group without an administrator to take control of it. The hackers appropriated over 280 groups in that way, renaming each of them 'Control Your Info.' According to CNN, once the band took over a group, they would post on its Wall a message that read, "Think about the safety in your social media life to the same extent you do in your real life."
The 'Control Your Info' pranksters promised to restore the groups' names and to leave them by the end of next week. But Facebook went ahead and did it for them. The site's administrators also deleted several of the hackers' accounts. "In the rare instances when we find that a group has been changed inappropriately, we will disable the group, which is the action we plan for these groups," said Facebook, as reported by MSNBC.
Think the stunt is refreshing? Tell that to the affected groups. After all, one user's prank is another's headache. [From:CNN, MSNBC, and Control Your Info]
_thumbnail.jpg "Vintage Keyboards")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Munkie said 2:01PM on 12-11-2009
They said they were reverting them, so it's not like they meant permanent harm. It's a good point to make, in either case.
Also, for the record, this is not hacking. Finding a group without an administrator and pushing a single button on the page? By this definition, I'm a hacker because I commented on this page.
FEAR MY ELITE POWERS.
Reply