Yazılar

Verificación en dos pasos: cómo activarla en WhatsApp, Instagram y TikTok para proteger tus cuentas

/in /tarafından

Las redes sociales se han convertido en uno de los principales objetivos de los ciberdelincuentes. Cada día se reportan miles de casos de cuentas hackeadas en Instagram, Facebook o TikTok. Una de las formas más eficaces de evitarlo es activar la verificación en dos pasos o autenticación en dos factores (2FA), un sistema que añade una capa extra de seguridad.

Con este método, para acceder a una cuenta no basta con la contraseña: también es necesario un segundo paso de identificación, como recibir un código en el móvil o usar una app de autenticación. Así, incluso si alguien descubre tu contraseña, no podrá iniciar sesión sin ese segundo factor.

Cada plataforma ofrece opciones diferentes. En WhatsApp, la función se activa en Ajustes → Cuenta → Verificación en dos pasos. Solo hay que crear un PIN de seis dígitos y, opcionalmente, añadir un correo electrónico para recuperarlo en caso de olvido.

En Instagram, la opción está en Centro de cuentas → Contraseña y seguridad → Autenticación en dos factores, donde se puede elegir recibir el código por SMS, WhatsApp o una app de autenticación. En TikTok, se accede desde Ajustes y privacidad → Seguridad → Verificación en dos pasos, con tres métodos posibles: SMS, correo electrónico o aplicación.

Los expertos recomiendan usar siempre una app de autenticación (como Google Authenticator, Authy o Microsoft Authenticator) en lugar de SMS, ya que los mensajes pueden ser interceptados mediante ataques de duplicado de SIM.

Si pierdes el móvil, podrás recuperar tus cuentas si tenías configurados métodos de respaldo, como correos alternativos o códigos de recuperación guardados. Si no los tienes, deberás contactar con el servicio técnico y verificar tu identidad.

Además, conviene revisar las sesiones activas en tus redes, cerrar las desconocidas y mantener las contraseñas actualizadas con la ayuda de un gestor de contraseñas seguro.

U.S. lawmaker warns TikTok algorithm licensing deal poses national security risks

/in /tarafından

A senior U.S. lawmaker raised fresh concerns Thursday over a proposed licensing deal for TikTok’s algorithm as part of the planned sale of the app’s U.S. operations by its Chinese parent company ByteDance, warning that any continued Chinese influence over the technology could threaten national security.

Representative John Moolenaar, chair of the House Select Committee on China, said he is awaiting a formal briefing on the deal, which would reportedly allow the new U.S. owners of TikTok to license the platform’s algorithm from ByteDance.

“I think anytime you have China with leverage over the algorithm, that’s a problem,” Moolenaar said during remarks at the Hudson Institute, adding that the arrangement could leave room for undue influence.

The White House previously said the agreement meets the national security requirements set out in a 2024 law mandating ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. assets or face a ban. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on September 25 approving the sale and granting 120 days to complete the transaction.

Under the proposal, ByteDance would retain less than 20% ownership in the new U.S. entity, with Americans holding the remaining board seats. The algorithm, which drives TikTok’s recommendation system, would be retrained and monitored by U.S. security partners.

Moolenaar, however, expressed skepticism that the algorithm could be fully reprogrammed or separated from its Chinese origins, noting, “It’s still very much a work in progress.”

TikTok did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

New York City sues tech giants for allegedly fueling youth mental health crisis

/in /tarafından

New York City has filed a sweeping federal lawsuit against Meta, Google, Snap, TikTok, and ByteDance, accusing them of addicting children to social media and worsening a mental health crisis among young users. The 327-page complaint, lodged in Manhattan federal court, seeks damages for gross negligence and public nuisance, alleging that platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok were deliberately engineered to exploit the psychology of youth for profit.

The lawsuit claims the companies’ products have contributed to rising rates of depression, sleep deprivation, and chronic absenteeism among minors. According to the city’s data, more than 77% of New York City high school students spend over three hours daily on screens, and 82% of girls report similar habits.

New York’s health commissioner declared social media a public health hazard earlier this year, citing growing taxpayer burdens to combat mental health challenges in schools. The city also linked compulsive platform use to dangerous behaviors such as “subway surfing,” which has caused at least 16 deaths since 2023.

The case joins over 2,000 similar lawsuits filed nationwide, now consolidated in federal court in Oakland, California. A spokesperson for Google rejected the allegations, saying YouTube is a streaming platform rather than a social network. Other defendants have not yet commented.

The city argues that the companies must be held accountable for the harm caused by their algorithms, which it says have created a costly and deadly youth mental health epidemic.