Facebook to Stop Using 2-factor phone numbers to suggest friends

It’s hard to trust Facebook for many users as the company can’t seem to do right when it comes to using private information or keeping the details it has secure. This week Facebook has promised to stop using the phone numbers that are provided to it as part of the two-factor authentication security tool to power a friend suggestion feature.

Facebook had been using numbers to protect the accounts from unauthorized access and to encourage users to add members of their address book to their friends list. The social network isn’t making this move out of the goodness of its heart. This is part of the $5 billion Federal Trade Commission settlement.

The settlement barred Facebook from using phone numbers gathered for security for advertising. Reports indicate that users who are using their phone number to power 2FA login security will have to remove their number and re-add it. Facebook won’t do it for them since it’s used for security.

The change for the friend suggestion is going into effect this week for people in Ecuador, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Libya, and Cambodia. The feature will expand around the globe next year reports The Verge.