#DeleteFacebook – The social network asks its new users to provide the password for their email account

Facebook fails to make any progress on its personal data management policies. According to the authors of ‘Learn ethical hacking‘ and experts from the International Institute of Cyber Security (IICS), the social network keeps making mistakes and applying dubious policies that directly impact on the privacy of users.

The most recent controversy has to do with the registration of new users. According to reports, Facebook is requesting those who wish to create a new account to provide the password of their email account to complete the verification process.

A Twitter user (@originalesushi) posted in his account the small investigation he made, proving that the message where Facebook requested his email password really appeared. The user specifies that he employed three different email accounts, three separate IP addresses, and two different web browsers.

According to the authors of ‘Learn ethical hacking’, the message mentions that “to keep using Facebook, the user must verify his/her mail account”, followed by a blank space to enter the email password.

The authors of ‘Learn ethical hacking’ also mention that users who find this message but do not want to give the password of their email to the social network can continue to enter through sending a code to their email or phone as SMS, however, Facebook has hidden these verification options in a different tab.

After the users discovered this practice, Facebook spokespersons stated:  “We understand that this verification option is an error, we will stop using it soon”. The social network ensures that it will not repeat similar practices, also emphasizes that under no circumstances the passwords are stored after completing the verification, although the long history of poor privacy policies of the company leaves no one quiet about their data.

As if it was not enough, a few weeks ago the company received harsh criticism for storing the passwords of millions of users in simple text files, without protection or some sort of encryption.