Giving your phone number to Facebook allows the social media giant to use it for targeted advertising, security purposes, and connecting you with friends. However, it also exposes your personal information and opens you up to potential spam calls and texts. There are pros and cons to consider when deciding whether or not to provide your phone number.
The Benefits of Giving Facebook Your Number
Here are some potential benefits of giving Facebook your phone number:
- Easier account security – Providing your number allows Facebook to send you login codes via text message. This provides an extra layer of account security if your password is ever compromised.
- Recovering your account – If you ever get locked out of your Facebook account, having a verified phone number on file makes it easier to recover access to your account.
- Finding friends – Facebook uses your phone number to help match you with friends on the platform who may also have your number in their contacts.
- Targeted advertising – Facebook can use your number for more personalized ad targeting based on your interests and habits.
So in summary, giving Facebook your number can enhance security, help reconnect with friends, and allow more relevant ads.
The Potential Risks of Giving Facebook Your Number
However, there are also some downsides to be aware of:
- Data privacy issues – By providing your number, you’re giving Facebook access to more of your personal data. This data can be used for ad targeting or shared with partners.
- Spam calls/texts – Scammers or spammers could potentially get hold of your number and use it to send unwanted calls or texts.
- Account hacking – If your Facebook account is ever hacked, your phone number could be accessible to hackers.
- Unexpected uses – Facebook may use your number for new features without your consent, like implementing two-factor authentication.
So you need to weigh the convenience versus potential privacy risks.
The Pros and Cons of Giving Facebook Your Number
Let’s analyze the main pros and cons in more detail:
Pros
- Enhanced account security – Having your phone number linked provides extra login protections through texted codes.
- Easier account recovery – Recovering access if you’re locked out is simpler with a verified number.
- Finding friends/contacts – Facebook can match you to contacts who also have your number.
- More relevant ads – Advertisers can serve ads based on your number and interests associated with it.
Cons
- Privacy concerns – More data shared with Facebook and partners about your habits/location.
- Spam risk – Potential for number getting into hands of spammers/scammers.
- Hacking vulnerability – If account is hacked, number is exposed.
- Unexpected usage – Facebook may use number for new features without your consent.
As you can see, there are compelling cases on both sides. You need to evaluate your personal priorities.
Should You Share Your Number with Facebook? Factors to Consider
When deciding whether to give your number to Facebook, here are some important factors to consider:
How much you value enhanced account security
If account security is paramount to you, having your number linked provides helpful login protections and easier account recovery. Two-factor authentication via text can safeguard your account.
How concerned you are about data privacy
If you highly value data privacy, you may want to keep your number off Facebook. Providing it gives them access to more personal data for ad targeting or other purposes.
How comfortable you are with targeted ads
Facebook will use your number to serve more tailored ads based on associated interests and habits. If you don’t mind relevant ads, this may not be a concern.
Your risk of being hacked
Think about what sensitive info you keep on Facebook. If you’re at high risk of being hacked, keeping your number off Facebook protects you in case of account access breach.
Your exposure to spam calls/texts
If you already deal with a lot of spam texts/calls, you may want to keep your number private to avoid potential exposure to more unwanted contacts.
How much you want to reconnect with friends
Facebook uses your number to match you with contacts. If reconnecting is important, giving your info can help friends find and connect with you.
Evaluating these personal factors can help you determine if sharing your phone number with Facebook is the right choice or not. There are reasonable pros and cons on both sides of the issue.
What Are the Settings for Sharing Your Number on Facebook?
If you decide to provide your phone number to Facebook, here are the steps to control the settings:
- Go to your Facebook Settings menu
- Click “Mobile” in the left sidebar
- Add your phone number and select “Verified” to enable extra security features
- Under “Private Information,” adjust who can see your number
- Choose options like “Friends” or “Only Me” to limit visibility
- Toggle on/off notifications you want sent to your number
Key tips:
- Verify your number to enable login approvals
- Adjust visibility of your number in the “Private Information” section
- Turn notifications on/off to control if Facebook contacts you by text
Controlling these settings helps maximize security and minimize unwanted communications.
How to Use Two-Factor Authentication
Once you’ve provided your phone number, you can enable extra login security through two-factor authentication:
- In Settings, go to the Two-Factor Authentication section
- Click “Get Started” and follow prompts to set up
- Choose to get codes by text message to your number when logging in
- Enter the texted codes after your password to complete login
This adds an extra step each time you log in from an unrecognized device, requiring you to enter a texted code. It provides significant protection against unauthorized account access.
What Are the Risks If You Keep Your Number Off Facebook?
While there are valid privacy reasons to keep your phone number off Facebook, it does come with some disadvantages:
- No two-factor authentication – You lose an extra account security layer.
- Account recovery issues – Recovering a lost account will be more difficult.
- Limited ability to find friends – It’s harder to get matched with contacts.
- More general ads – Ads will not be customized based on associated interests.
You’ll need to rely on backup email addresses for account security, won’t get helpful friend recommendations, and will get more generic advertisements.
Using Alternative Contact Options
If you keep your number private, you can still protect your account through other methods:
- Set up backup email addresses or third-party authenticator apps for two-factor authentication and account recovery.
- Manually search for friends instead of using automatic contact matching.
- Provide an alternate contact number like Google Voice if you want added security.
While less convenient, there are still options to safeguard your account and connect with people.
Best Practices for Using Your Number on Facebook
If you do decide to give Facebook your phone number, here are some best practices:
- Only provide your actual mobile number – Don’t use landlines that reveal your address.
- Verify for two-factor login codes – This adds a critical security layer.
- Limit visibility to “Only Me” – Maximize privacy of your number.
- Minimize text notifications – Opt out of non-essential communications.
- Use a reminder app – Create reminders to log out of Facebook on shared devices.
Key principles:
- Verification enables important security features like two-factor authentication.
- Adjust settings to limit visibility and unwanted messages to your number.
- Be cautious when logging in on shared devices to prevent access abuse.
Following these tips allows you to securely leverage phone-based account protections.
Responding to Suspicious Texts or Calls
If you ever receive suspicious texts or calls claiming to be from Facebook, here are smart tips:
- Don’t click links or provide personal info over the phone – These could be scams.
- Log into Facebook directly to check notifications – Don’t use links sent to you.
- Review notification settings – Toggle off non-essential texts/calls.
- Update login approvals – Only allow notifications to verified devices.
- Report spam texts/calls within Facebook – Helps improve their spam filters.
Exercising caution protects you from potential phishing scams leveraging your number.
Conclusion
There are reasonable arguments on both sides of whether to provide your phone number to Facebook. The convenience and security perks of linking your number come with inherent privacy risks. Evaluate your personal priorities and be thoughtful in which settings you enable if you decide to connect your number. With proper precautions, you can securely leverage the benefits while minimizing downsides.