1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites

Twitter: Facebook's accounts hacked

February 8, 2020

A group of hackers posted a message through two of Facebook's official Twitter accounts, weeks after apparently taking over accounts belonging to the NFL and ESPN. Both Facebook and Twitter confirmed the intrusion.

A hand on a keyboard
Image: Imago Images/photothek/T. Trutschel

Two of Facebook's official Twitter accounts were hijacked on Friday, the social media giant confirmed.

The Twitter accounts for Facebook and for its messaging app Messenger both posted a message reading "Hi, we are O u r M i n e. Well, even Facebook is hackable but at least their security is better than Twitter."

The tweet then listed an e-mail address to contact "to improve your account's security."

Read more: The influence of social media in art

In a statement on Friday night, Twitter and Facebook said the accounts were "briefly hacked but we have secured and restored access."

A Twitter spokesperson said that the accounts were hacked through a third-party platform.

The OurMine group has been linked to hacks of the Twitter accounts of the National Football League and sports broadcaster ESPN in January, as well as a hack of The New York Times' Twitter account. Details on the group, which has been in operation since at least 2014, remain scarce.

Hacking for Germany

04:26

This browser does not support the video element.

ed/dj (dpa, Reuters)

Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.

Skip next section Explore more
Skip next section DW's Top Story

DW's Top Story

Skip next section More stories from DW