TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Some Line users risk losing access to their accounts, purchases, stickers, coins, and chat histories at the end of the year unless they add a phone number.
The rule applies to accounts linked only to Facebook that do not have a phone number set, with deletion scheduled after 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31, per TVBS.
Users can check their status in the Line app by opening “Home,” tapping “Settings,” selecting “My Account,” and looking at the “Phone Number” field. A blank field means no number has been linked, and the setup can be completed entirely inside the app without using a webpage, per Line’s notice.
The company warned that phone numbers cannot be shared across Line accounts, while moving a number to another account can cause the original account to stop working.
Similar restrictions apply to email addresses and Apple and Google accounts. Reusing those credentials on a new Line account will remove their links from the original account and may render that account invalid, according to the notice.
Accounts should have an email address and password set, while at least one Apple or Google account should be connected. Both Apple and Google accounts can be added.
The phone-number requirement is intended to reduce dummy accounts and fraud risks and make the service safer. Users are also encouraged to help older relatives or friends who are less familiar with smartphone settings check their accounts.
