Securing Facebook with help from friends

If you are unable to access your Facebook account, for example because the security has been compromised, you must identify yourself with Facebook. This is how Facebook knows that you really are the person you say you are. One of the security options is ‘Trusted contacts’. Facebook friends selected by you will be sent a recovery code so that you can log in again. So your friends can save your account.

Set the security option like this:

• Go to facebook.com or open the app facebook.
• Log in if necessary.
• Click on the down arrow at the top right (web) or tap the three horizontal bars (app).
• Click/tap Settings and privacy > Institutions.
• Click on the left Security and Login (web) or under “Security,” tap Security and Login (app).
• Scroll or swipe down if necessary and click/tap Pick three to five friends to contact if you can’t sign up anymore.
• click on Select friends (web) or tap Choose trusted contacts (app).

  

• Enter your password if required and click/tap Get on.
• Click/tap Choose trusted contacts.
• A search bar appears. Enter the name of a Facebook friend here. If a selection of Facebook friends is already displayed, you can also choose directly from this.
• Click/tap on a friend to select it. Facebook wants you to add at least three trusted contacts.
• click on Confirm (web) or tap Finished (app).

You have now set up your trusted contacts. They will be notified of this on Facebook.

You can always change or delete trusted contacts. They will not be notified of this. Do this as follows:

• Go to facebook.com or open the app facebook.
• Log in if necessary.
• Click on the down arrow in the top right (web) or on the three horizontal lines (app).
• Click/tap Settings and privacy > Institutions.
• Click on the left Security and Login (web) or under “Security,” tap Security and Login (app).
• Scroll or swipe down if necessary and click/tap Pick three to five friends to contact if you can’t sign up anymore.
• Click/tap To process.

  

• In the app, tap again To process.
• Click/tap on the cross next to the name of the person you want to remove.
• Click/tap behind the row of names and the cursor appears. Type the name of anyone you would like to add. click on Confirm (web) or tap Finished (app).
• If you do want to opt out of this form of security, click or tap Delete all > Delete all. Enter your password and choose Send.