Why Two-Factor Authentication Is a Must for Your Business Facebook Page

We all lock up our shops at night and protect important documents with passwords. But when it comes to social media—one of the most visible parts of your business—it’s surprising how often the front door is left wide open. Let’s have a chat about Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) and why it’s an absolute must-have for anyone managing a business Facebook or Meta page, especially when you’ve got a team sharing access.

I was part of a team where 12 to 15 people had access to the Meta account—and honestly, it was terrifying. While I had 2FA enabled on my own account, it wasn’t enforced across the rest of the team because our team leader didn’t prioritise it. At one point, a team member even had their personal Facebook account hacked, which could have seriously compromised our business page. It was a clear reminder of how critical it is to take account security seriously—especially when multiple people are involved.

Over 60% of social media attacks occur because of weak or stolen passwords!

Shared Access = Shared Risk

Most business pages are managed through personal Facebook accounts. That means when a staff member logs in to access your company’s Meta tools, they're doing so through their own email and password—often a personal account that may not have any security beyond a weak password. Here’s the problem: If one of those accounts is compromised (and it happens more often than you'd think), your entire business page is at risk—not to mention ad accounts, billing info, and sensitive customer data.

93% of breached accounts lacked 2FA, according to Google—demonstrating how seldom breaches involve accounts with multi-factor protection

Real-World Examples of What Can Go Wrong

A team member’s email gets hacked or their password is compromised, and the attacker uses their Facebook login to delete your page. Someone with access gets phished—and now a stranger is posting spam or offensive content to your official company page. Your ad account is taken over and thousands are spent overnight on unauthorised ads.

These are not scare tactics—they’re real incidents that businesses experience every week. Here are some real life examples...

❌ SP Workwear (UK clothing manufacturer) Hackers took over the company’s Facebook page, removed all admins, and added themselves. The team was locked out overnight, losing about £20,000 in revenue while waiting for reinstatement.

✅ With 2FA enabled, even if hackers had stolen login credentials via phishing or a data breach, they would not have been able to log in without also having the unique verification code sent to the original admin’s phone or authenticator app.

❌ H. Flynn Designs (Nebraska small business) After a hack, the personal account was replaced with extremist imagery and locked out. The business page—built over eight years—was also inaccessible, resulting in thousands of dollars lost in just a few days.

✅ If multiple admins with 2FA enabled had been assigned to the H. Flynn Designs page, another verified admin could have stepped in to regain access or flag the issue to Meta faster, preventing downtime.

closer to home...

❌ DEIA Cosmetics (Australian skincare startup) Launched in March 2025 with over $100k invested, DEIA’s Meta accounts were compromised a month later. Their ad tools were inaccessible, leading to lost sales of around $25,000 per month until access was recovered three months later.

✅ Meta accounts are typically tied to personal profiles of team members. If 2FA had been mandatory across the team, attackers wouldn’t have been able to log in—even with stolen passwords.

❌ Pip and Lenny (Australian baby clothing brand) With 150k followers, their Facebook page was hacked and funds stolen—leading the owner to call it the “darkest day” in seven years, with thousands of dollars lost.

✅ 2FA adds an extra security layer to prevent unauthorized transactions or changes. With two-factor authentication enabled on all admin accounts, hackers would have found it much harder to log in, even if passwords were compromised.

And right here in New Zealand...

❌ Row Hygiene Supplies (NZ) Their Facebook page was hijacked by an unknown actor from Vietnam, leading to the page's suspension. The business warned followers their online channel might remain offline for “up to one week or six months” while they attempted recovery—or potentially started from scratch.

✅ When the hacker logged in from Vietnam, 2FA would have flagged the device/location and blocked access unless the correct code was entered.

❌ Kiwi Country Kids (Hawke’s Bay). Run by vet/farmer Sally Newall, this page had 40,000 followers. Scammers tricked her into approving ad posts via Instagram, then seized full control—posting clickbait and inappropriate content. Four months later, she still couldn’t regain admin access.

✅ If the owner had 2FA enabled, even after being tricked into submitting login details, the hacker wouldn't have been able to log in unless they had access to her phone or authenticator app.

❌ NZ Spinal Trust (Charity). Hackers compromised the Trust’s longstanding public Facebook page. Despite efforts to contact Meta, no resolution was possible—forcing them to start over with a new page.

✅ If all admins had 2FA enabled, the hackers would have been blocked even if passwords were stolen. 2FA makes it far more difficult for hackers to remove legitimate admins and take over the page.

❌ Tauranga Business Owners (Advertising Account Theft). Another example involved a local business whose Meta advertising account was hacked, resulting in $9,500 in unauthorised ad spending. While Meta and police investigated, the business highlighted the need for user vigilance.

✅ The attacker accessed the ad account and spent $9.5K. With 2FA on the admin’s Meta account, the attacker would not have gained entry to launch campaigns without a secondary device code.

Why 2FA Is Critical

Two-Factor Authentication adds a second layer of protection. Even if someone guesses or steals your password, they’ll still need a code from your mobile device or authenticator app to gain access. This drastically reduces the chance of someone gaining unauthorised access. When multiple people use their personal emails (especially unsecured ones like Hotmail, Yahoo, etc.), the risk multiplies. 2FA ensures each login is verified individually, no matter how poor their personal password habits may be.

What You Should Do Right Now

1. Require 2FA for every admin, editor, and advertiser on your business page.

2. Use Business Manager instead of giving out direct access to the page. This gives you more control over who can do what—and lets you revoke access instantly.

3. Audit access regularly. Are there former employees still listed as admins? Remove them.

4. Use strong, unique passwords for your personal accounts—and avoid reusing them across platforms.

A Note on Personal Emails

Many people managing business pages are still using their personal Gmail or Hotmail accounts. If those aren’t secured with 2FA too, they become the weakest link. Think about it: a hacked email often gives access to all other connected platforms. It’s a domino effect. Set up 2FA for your email just like you would for Facebook. It's simple, quick, and free.

Your business Facebook page is a public-facing asset, a marketing channel, a communication tool—and often a source of direct revenue. Treat it with the same care you would your storefront or bank account. Because when security fails, it’s not just an inconvenience—it can be a reputation-damaging, money-losing nightmare.

So set up 2FA. Right now. On everything.