Facebook and McAfee Partner to Offer Free Software to Prevent Ways Online Identity Theft Occurs
Internet security software company McAfee and popular social-networking website Facebook have announced a partnership that will allow the website's users free and discounted access to security software.
Under the agreement, McAfee will become Facebook's exclusive provider of consumer security software. Additionally, as part of the agreement each of the website's members will receive a complimentary six-month subscription to McAfee's Internet Security Suite identity theft software that aims to protect users from ways online identity theft occurs including foreign agents that could potentially be used by scammers and identity thieves using software such as spyware and viruses.
The decision for the two companies was also done with the intention of helping the 78 percent of consumers who do not have updated anti-virus software or a firewall guarding their computer from becoming infected and from the ways identity theft can occur.
"By partnering with a market leader like McAfee, we are taking an unprecedented step towards making the entire Internet more secure and reducing the possibility of threats being brought onto our service by unsuspecting users," said Elliot Schrage, vice president of global communications, marketing and public policy for Facebook.
Facebook and McAfee will also create a new security page that will inform users of potential security threats to be on the lookout for, while McAfee will also feature its own page that offers tips on how to guard childrens' identities online, protect against social security identity theft and keep their computers spam-free.
"We think we've developed an excellent model for this collaboration, and to ensure the greatest possible value to our users, Facebook will not accept any revenue from subscriptions," Schrage added. We hope this is something that other services will emulate."
While not mentioned by either company, the decision to add security and identity theft software to the social networking website was also done to fight the various forms of "Koobface" worms that have made their way onto Facebook and taken advantage of users by posting fraudulent links and wall comments that actually contain viruses and are one of the ways online identity theft occurs.
