Hackers have always targeted Facebook users in an attempt to get them to download malware or reveal their passwords. However, these cybercriminals are increasingly trying to take control of users’ entire accounts in order to sell them on the black market. Authorities say that many of these scams are located in Vietnam, where enforcement is minimal.

Many frustrated users blame Facebook for both allowing these attacks to happen and for not doing enough to help users who have been hacked. However, some experts say that the problem has gotten too big for Facebook to handle, so the responsibility must fall on users to protect themselves.

“The way technology works today, that’s not really something that the social media company can protect — those are things that the user should protect,” said Adam Marrè, a former FBI cyber special agent. “They lock their door when they leave their house, they lock their car when they walk away… oftentimes, people don’t think about their online life in the same way.”

However, Marrè added that social media giants like Facebook still need to be held accountable for their security measures and customer service offerings for hacked users.

“We need to be thinking about what our recourse is to make sure that [social media companies are] doing the right things across the whole spectrum. How they handle security, how they handle complaints, is also one of those things,” he continued.

It’s disheartening to hear, but sadly this is probably true. Users can’t rely on Facebook to protect them, so it’s up to each of us to safeguard our own online privacy.

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