Typing BFF doesn't mean any thing in facebook

Yes Facebook has been hit by one of the worst data leaks in its history but no, typing BFF in the comment box on Facebook is not the solution to safeguard your data.

It has become a ritual now. It is definite to see some hoax going viral on Facebook or WhatsApp after some big controversy and this situation is no different. The social media giant alleges that it has been misused as a platform by an upstart voter-profiling company-- Cambridge Analtyica-- that specialises in psychographic profile building technique that apparently can identify voter profile and micro-target them with ads to influence the electoral process. It allegedly worked with Trump's team and apparently helped Trump win the US elections in year 2016.

Facebook is facing backlash from technology experts across the globe. More than 50 million users are said to be at the risk of this data leak. Hit by the controversy, Facebook saw a sharp decline in its shares recently. This has been the story so far.

But there's a different story doing the rounds on the walls of Indian Facebook users. Fake pages, created mostly by the name of some famous personality, are seen sharing a hoax message that asks users to type BFF in the comment box and claims your account is safe if the comment turns green.

"Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, invented the word BFF. To make sure your account is safe on Facebook, type BFF in a comment.

If it appears green, your account is protected. If it does not appear in green, change your password immediately because it may be hacked by someone," this is the exact message that you see.

when you type BFF on Facebook comments, the word does turn green for some people. What does that mean? It's down the Facebook feature called Text Delight, which was introduced last year.

It automatically animates green and red hands giving a high five when you type BFF. It also animates when you click on it. Obviously, this does not mean that your Facebook account can be hacked or is secure.

Please understand that responding to such a hoax puts your data at risk. The web is a connected world and Facebook is part of it. You don't know your one comment can alter so many calculations at the back end. Replying to such random posts also brings your account into the eyes of the ones who post such stupid messages.

Besides, one comment from you on the post and you will be haunted by those continuous notifications every time somebody else also comments on the same post. You can turn off notifications but why not nip it in the bud. Do not reply to such posts. Don't fall for such posts.