Today the WOT team is giddy with excitement to announce a major cooperation with Facebook, the daddy of all social networking platforms. After nearly a year of meeting, talking about and testing WOT data, Facebook has integrated WOT’s community-powered reputation ratings into their security system to provide extra protection for their 500 million plus users.
“Facebook cares deeply about preserving user trust and providing users with the best tools to enjoy a safe experience online. We are excited about our partnership with Web of Trust–they share similar goals and approaches in giving users better control of their online experience,“ says Jake Brill, Manager of Site Integrity for Facebook.
WOT reputation ratings are used by a variety of companies like search engines, browsers, advertising platforms and security services, but Facebook is the first social networking platform to integrate WOT data into their safety system.
“We are confident that WOT reputation ratings will make the Facebook experience safer for everyone. Our community has worked hard for years uncovering scams and threats, reporting bad customer service, dubious privacy practices and protecting kids from unsavory sites. Our cooperation with Facebook validates all the effort WOT users put into sharing information,” says Vesa Perälä, CEO of WOT Services Ltd.
Have you seen a Facebook ‘virus’?
You have probably noticed the occasional strange message that appears on your news feed with links to weird videos, claims for a prize or a promise for free stuff like an iPad or fast food coupons. Innocent Facebook users become “Facebook viruses” by unwittingly sharing links that lead to rogue applications and result in your entire network becoming part of the scam.
“WOT is quick at detecting phishing, spam and scam sites. Cybercrooks can’t hide from WOT users, and the combination of our vigilant community and information from our trusted sources is a perfect match for Facebook as they seek to improve protection for their users,” says Perälä.
How WOT works with Facebook
When Facebook users share links with their friends, Facebook automatically scans the links, applying WOT’s information, to determine if the website is known to distribute spam or contain malware. If the link is identified as untrustworthy, then a warning will appear allowing the person to avoid the link, learn more about the rating or continue forward.
“The WOT community has eyes and ears all over the Internet,” says Perälä. “Customers demand secure online environments and companies are searching for ways to provide that. Facebook is an excellent example of how companies can use WOT’s crowd-sourced information to improve their security and customer experience.”
WOT warnings will roll out to US Facebook users today, and then next week, after translators have time to finish their work, it will be available globally.
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