Title: Renowned Influencer ‘Kitten Lady’ Faces Social Engineering Hack, Calls for Improved Creator Security
In a shocking turn of events, celebrated influencer Hannah Shaw, known as the “Kitten Lady,” recently faced a social engineering hack on her Meta (formerly Facebook) business account, sparking concerns about creator security. The hack not only jeopardized access to her Facebook page but also put her over a million followers at risk.
The incident unfolded when Shaw received what she believed to be an interview request from a supposed manager of a legitimate podcast called “Podcast and Chill with MacG.” Unbeknownst to her, this seemingly harmless request paved the way for a catastrophic breach of her account. The hacker exploited Shaw’s trust, leading her towards a backend setting called “datasets” and generating a unique URL that granted them administrative control.
Once inside Shaw’s account, the perpetrator took malicious actions, deleting years of valuable content and replacing it with deceptive links that directed followers to ad-laden websites. Moreover, they cunningly blocked certain words to impede the reporting of the hacked account by astute followers.
Confronted with this ordeal, Shaw sought assistance from Meta, but unfortunately, her efforts were in vain. The social media giant suggested implementing multifactor authentication and promptly reporting any issues—an already adopted practice by Shaw and fellow creator Hobby Bobbins. Unfortunately, Meta’s support was limited, leaving the influencers stranded in a sea of frustration.
Fortunately, Shaw managed to regain access to her account within 72 hours, thanks to the unwavering support of her loyal followers. However, Bobbins, whose account suffered a similar fate, is still grappling with restoration a month after the hack transpired. This disparity in resolution time highlights the urgent need for improved creator security measures.
With this incident as a wake-up call, both influencers are now rallying for increased creator security on platforms like Facebook. They urge social media companies to swiftly investigate and address complaints from followers, thereby establishing a robust safety net for content creators. Shaw stresses the importance of platforms taking proactive action to safeguard their users and prevent such hacks from happening in the first place.
At present, victims of account takeovers can report such incidents to the Internet Crimes Complaint Center (IC3). However, solutions for social media account hijacking remain limited. Emerging from her harrowing experience, Shaw advises creators to exercise caution when accepting Facebook Live interviews, thereby minimizing the risk of falling prey to similar social engineering hacks.
As Shaw and Bobbins continue to push for greater creator security, their voices resonate across the industry, underlining the critical need for platforms like Meta to prioritize the protection of their user base. Only by implementing stringent security measures and promptly addressing such breaches can social media platforms instill confidence in content creators and secure the digital spaces they call home.
“Travel aficionado. Incurable bacon specialist. Tv evangelist. Wannabe internet enthusiast. Typical creator.”