Facebook promotes security tips

If you have logged into Facebook in the last few days, chances are you have been faced with a new Facebook message at the top of your page saying “Stay in control of your account by following these simple security tips.”

If you follow the link in it, it will take you to a page where you can learn how to spot a Facebook scam, choose a good password, use your mobile to secure your account, as well as check out advanced security tips:

Facebook says that the move was not triggered by the recent security breaches at LinkedIn, Last.fm, and others, but the timing obviously could not be better.

Many commenters on the Internet seem to think that this was just another way of trying to get users to share their mobile numbers with the company, but until that move – or sharing any personal information – becomes mandatory, I can’t feel too sorry for Facebook users.

What I do find illogical is the fact that the aforementioned message seems to pop up only once, and if you don’t follow the link when it’s first offered to you, it is not be available next time you come around.

Why show it in the first place when chances are that many, many users won’t see it all, and won’t be able to find the information (in one place) later?