Why You Should Think Twice About Facebook Quizzes
(We’re Not Saying You’re Not a Gryffindor. Just Be Careful.)
You’re scrolling through Facebook and see a quiz:
“What’s your spirit animal?”
“Answer 10 questions to find out your Hogwarts house!”
“Which ‘90s sitcom character are you?”
Harmless fun, right? Ehh… maybe not.
We get it, quizzes are entertaining and easy to click through. But they can also open the door to something not-so-fun: stolen personal info and compromised accounts.
Why These Quizzes Are Risky
A lot of these “get to know me” quizzes ask for things like:
- Your pet’s name
- Your first school
- Your favorite color
- Your mom’s maiden name
…sound familiar? They should. These are the same questions banks and websites use for password recovery. By sharing those answers publicly, or even just clicking through, you might be handing hackers the keys to your digital house.
And it’s not just scammers. Even seemingly safe quizzes can collect data about your habits and preferences and sell it to third parties. That means more targeted ads, less privacy, and possibly a whole lot of junk communication you didn’t ask for.
But I Just Wanted to Know My Pizza Personality…
We get it. If you are going to take a quiz (we won’t judge), here are a few safety tips:
- Only take quizzes on websites you trust.
- Stick to multiple-choice: avoid open-ended questions that ask for personal info.
- Don’t share your results on social unless you know what you’re agreeing to.
- Be cautious about giving out your email or phone number.
- If something feels off mid-quiz, back out and don’t hit “submit.”
And if you did already post something you’re not sure about, now’s a good time to change up your security questions…and maybe avoid using real answers next time.
We Can Help Keep You Safe Online
Your online safety matters, and that’s where we come in. Whether it’s cleaning up a hacked account, beefing up your security settings, or just giving you some peace of mind, we’ve got your back (no quiz required).