If you accidentally click on an 18+ link on Facebook, expert Hieu PC shows you how to handle it

In recent days, many Facebook users in Vietnam have reported that the platform displays many sensitive videos when searching for some familiar keywords. Notably, this content not only appears on adult accounts but can also be displayed on accounts declared to be minors.

Talking to Dan Tri reporter, cybersecurity expert Ngo Minh Hieu, commonly known as Hieu PC, said that the incident should not just be seen as a single censorship error.

According to Mr. Hieu, from a cybersecurity perspective, this could be a sign of the platform being manipulated through search algorithms and content recommendations.

"Bad guys can take advantage of familiar keywords, then attach sensitive content and external links to trick the search algorithm, increase interaction and bring up malicious results," said expert Ngo Minh Hieu.

Not just offensive content

According to experts, the worrying problem does not stop at users accidentally seeing offensive videos. The greater risk lies with links embedded in posts, comments or content descriptions.

These links can take users away from Facebook and onto fake websites. There, the victim may be asked to log back into their account, verify their age, download files, install applications, or click on buttons to continue watching the video.

These are common scenarios in phishing campaigns. Bad guys can take advantage of users' curiosity to steal accounts, capture login session cookies, distribute malicious code or lure victims into financial fraud models.

"Users often think that content appearing on Facebook is still safe. However, just by clicking on an external link, they can be taken to a completely different environment, where the platform's protection mechanisms are no longer effective," Mr. Hieu analyzed.

According to experts, if users enter login information on fake pages, the Facebook account or associated email can be hijacked. In many cases, the account is then used to send phishing messages to friends, post unusual advertisements or participate in malicious link distribution campaigns.

Why do minor accounts still see sensitive content?

One point of concern in the incident is that sensitive content can still appear with accounts declaring their age as minors. According to Mr. Hieu, this shows that the platform may have vulnerabilities in many layers of protection.

Firstly, the age verification mechanism is uncertain. In fact, many social networking platforms still rely heavily on self-reported user information. This makes the classification of adult and minor users not always accurate.

The second is that sensitive content filtering may not be good enough. Bad guys can take advantage of everyday keywords, variant spellings, slang or phrases with multiple meanings to bypass the automatic censorship system.

Third, the search and recommendation mechanism may not effectively block exploited phrases. When a piece of content receives a lot of interaction, the algorithm may mistakenly think that it is content of interest, thereby continuing to push it higher in search results.

According to Mr. Hieu, this is a complicated issue because the algorithms of large platforms always have to process huge amounts of content in real time. However, with sensitive content that risks affecting children, the platform needs a more proactive protection mechanism instead of just waiting for users to report it.

"Parents should not rely solely on platform controls. They need to enable account monitoring features, limit content, check interaction history, and most importantly, regularly discuss with their children about the risks of strange links," experts recommended.

What should users do if they accidentally click on a strange link?

In case you click on a suspicious link, expert Ngo Minh Hieu recommends that users immediately exit that website. Users absolutely do not enter passwords, do not download files, do not grant permissions to strange applications, and do not perform verification steps as required by the website.

After that, users should change their Facebook password and associated email, turn on two-factor authentication, check the devices they are logging in to, and log out of unfamiliar devices. For a phone or computer that has downloaded a suspicious file, it is necessary to scan for malicious code with reliable security software.

If the account shows signs of sending unusual messages, posting strange posts or automatically interacting with content of unknown origin, users should warn their friends, check the access permissions of third-party applications and report the problem to the platform.

According to experts, users also need to change their habits of using social networks. Do not click on links embedded in sensitive, sensational content or with invitations to curiosity. In particular, do not re-enter your Facebook password on any page that is not the platform's official page.

Platforms are responsible for amplified algorithmic risks

From the perspective of platform management, Mr. Hieu believes that large social networks like Facebook cannot just stop at removing content after being reported. As the algorithm has the ability to amplify content, the platform also needs to be responsible for the risks that the algorithm creates.

According to experts, Facebook needs to proactively detect spam campaigns based on Vietnamese keywords, block risky links in real time, lower the ranking of sensitive content in search results and strengthen local censorship.

In addition, child protection mechanisms need to be set to a stronger default state, instead of requiring parents or users to set them up manually. Content that has sensitive, offensive elements or leads to off-platform pages needs to be more tightly controlled, especially when appearing in the search environment.

"When the algorithm creates accessibility, the platform is also responsible for the risks that the algorithm amplifies," Mr. Hieu emphasized.

The incident once again shows that social networking platforms are not only a place to distribute content, but also an environment that can be exploited for phishing campaigns, spreading malware and manipulating users. For users, especially parents and teenagers, the skill of identifying malicious links and the habit of being vigilant when searching on social networks is becoming increasingly necessary.

Recorded by PV Dan Tri on the morning of June 24, Facebook has blocked and removed pages that spread pornographic videos. When accessed, these pages no longer display content or do not exist.