The truth behind Facebook's 'BFF' security feature

Facebook users are frequently typing 'BFF' in comment sections to check if they are secure from the hackers. But like many other rumours it is not a hoax, a lie but a fake news.

Facebook BFF Security feature

"BFF" is Facebook's Text Delight feature Source: Supplied

Typing 'BFF' in Facebook comments to check if your profile is secure from hackers is actually a fake news that is spreading through the social networks.

Although, the origin of the claim that it is a security feature remains unclear, but one thing is for sure that it has spread like wild fire.

Fact check websites and have turned down the 'BFF' security claims explaining that it is actually a special animation feature that Facebook started in 2017. 

'BFF', which literally means 'best friends forever', is a unique Text Delight feature from Facebook that automatically animates green and red hands giving a high five when published.

The meme animates when you click on it, but it does not mean that your Facebook account can be hacked or is in secure, if that doesn’t happen. 

"BFF' is more like words 'congratulations,' 'best wishes,' 'xoxo,' which when typed trigger animations in Facebook.

In March 2018, this Facebook security feature post began circulating across the social networks:

"Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, invented the word BFF. To make sure your account is safe on Facebook, type BFF in a comment. If it appears green, your account is protected. If it does not appear in green, change your password immediately because it will be hacked."
BFF Fake News
BFF Fake News spreading on social networks. Source: Supplied
The claim that if BFF text doesn't turn green, your facebook profile maybe at risk of being hacked, have gone viral on social media.

But according to many fact check websites, these claims are not true. In fact, the reason behind the text not turning green is that you're using an outdated version of Facebook.

If you haven't updated your Facebook app or Internet browser, it could potentially render your account less secure and easier to hack compared to those who have updated versions of Facebook.

But, does that mean that if Text Delight doesn’t work, you can be hacked? The answer is ‘NO’, as this would primarily depend on your security features and privacy settings.

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2 min read
Published 23 March 2018 11:47am
Updated 7 December 2018 4:01pm
By Preetinder Grewal

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