Why does Facebook stop me logging in?

[GrizzlyBear]

So I have had a Facebook account for years, keep in touch with a few friends I haven't seen in person for decades, but every few weeks, when I try to log-in it says I must confirm I am "me"... (it is the same laptop, from the same location?) but the awkward bit is, by confirming it is me on another device! the problem is I only ever log in on my Laptop (admittedly in the time I had the account, I have had about 4 different Laptops, but that was when the Laptops died and I bought another), I have never had it on a phone or tablet; I don't want the app. Basically I only ever have one device at a time. They say I can prove why I am via google, but I don't want Facebook to have any of my google passwords and the same with Google, so there is no way I would ever log in using a link provided by them!

So I leave it for a week or two, and then it lets me log in again, I thought in the past it was to do with unapplied software updates, but that doesn't seem to be the case now I have rapid internet and software updates get downloaded quickly.

Can't they do something sensible like, send a 6 digit code to the email I have registered with it? rather than trying to get me to log in on a link I know nothing about..

• I accept that no-one is going to gain anything looking at my emails etc, they will find out that I buy food, that I occasionally buy a few bits of technology (getting less often as every time I get something new, half the family wants the more expensive version... when I didn't even want to spend the money on the more expensive one for me ), and probably a bit about my job as the Professional body and quite a few companies invite me to webinars.

Quite why Facebook wants to know anything about me is a little difficult to believe, I look at old cars and star wars and gardening things online and I also look online how to fix the cars of my family (I am very boring, but I wish I knew more people like me), I would imagine this is not very rare on PH.

OK rant over, I feel better now

[skyebear]

They're forcing their users to periodically authenticate, ideally using multi factor authentication (MFA). That could be by text or email, or by using an MFA app like Google/Microsoft Authenticator, Authy or similar.

The main reason this is a problem for people is they forget their login details so persistent sessions on the same device is great. Security nightmare hence websites increasingly take steps to prevent this.

Logging in to Facebook with e.g. Google account doesn't share your password or login information. Google gives Facebook a token to say they've authenticated you and it's ok for Facebook to trust you for a period of time.

As for being interested in your data, they exist to suck it all in to their learning engines and sell it on.

Ultimately it's Facebook's ball and they get to take it home with them.

[durbster]

GrizzlyBear said:

Quite why Facebook wants to know anything about me is a little difficult to believe, I look at old cars and star wars and gardening things online and I also look online how to fix the cars of my family (I am very boring, but I wish I knew more people like me), I would imagine this is not very rare on PH.

Facebook want to know every single detail about every single person because that's how they make money. Any data they collect can open up an advertising demographic and gardeners, DIY mechanics and Star Wars fans are all going to be buying stuff.