11-29-2022
According to press reports, Meta fired or disciplined more than two dozen security workers and other employees over the last year when its internal investigations showed they had been selling users' information and login details to hackers. The Wall Street Journal reported that these investigations showed some security guards illegally accessed accounts and provided the information to hackers in exchange for thousands of dollars in bribes. The hacking came through an online system called "Oops" (Online Operations). Facebook developed Oops in its early years to help employees, their families, and friends who have forgotten their emails or passwords or had their accounts taken over by hackers. Generally, Oops is a last resort for users who cannot reach Meta staff for assistance in getting into their accounts. To file an Oops report, the user must show one of the following: their relationship to CEO Mark Zuckerberg's team, their celebrity status, or their status as a Meta partner/family member. This information gets forwarded to the Meta community support team, which may be a separate business or company. It was this forwarding to the team that created an opening for hackers. The security contractor, Allied Universal, told the Wall Street Journal that it took the allegations seriously. Following deep cuts to the number of its employees, Meta is reportedly challenged to meet customer service needs.