Communications of the ACM
Meta Employees, Security Guards Fired for Hijacking User Accounts
Executives at Facebook parent Meta Platforms led a lengthy internal probe into abuse of a system that allows employees to help users regain control of their accounts.
Credit: Josh Edelson/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
Meta Platforms Inc. has fired or disciplined more than two dozen employees and contractors over the last year whom it accused of improperly taking over user accounts, in some cases allegedly for bribes, according to people familiar with the matter and documents viewed by The Wall Street Journal.
Some of those fired were contractors who worked as security guards stationed at Meta facilities and were given access to the Facebook parent's internal mechanism for employees to help users having trouble with their accounts, according to the documents and people familiar with the matter.
The mechanism, known internally as "Oops," has existed since Facebook's early years as a means for employees to help users they know who have forgotten their passwords or emails, or had their accounts taken over by hackers.
As part of the alleged abuse of the system, Meta says that in some cases workers accepted thousands of dollars in bribes from outside hackers to access user accounts, the people and documents say.
From The Wall Street Journal
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