Meta is reintroducing facial recognition technology to Facebook and Instagram to combat scams and help users regain access to their accounts. The company will use the technology to identify scam ads that use celebrity images and verify users’ identities when locked out of their accounts. The system will compare faces in advertisements to the profile pictures of public figures on Facebook and Instagram.
It will be blocked if a match is confirmed and the ad is determined to be a scam. Meta has already started rolling out this feature to a small group of celebrities and public figures, with plans to enroll more individuals automatically in the coming weeks. Users can opt out of this protection.
Meta is also testing a “video selfie” option for account recovery. Users can upload a short video clip of themselves, which will be matched to their profile photos.
Meta combats scams with facial recognition
This tool aims to help users locked out of their accounts or in cases of suspected account compromise. Meta has committed to immediately deleting the facial data used for comparison and ensuring the scans are not used for any other purpose. Both features will be optional, but celebrities must opt out of the scam ad protection rather than opt-in.
The company previously used facial recognition technology for automatic photo-tagging but discontinued this feature and deleted the facial data of more than 1 billion people due to societal concerns. Meta also faced lawsuits over its use of facial recognition technology in Texas and Illinois. As a result, the new tools will not initially be available in those states or in the United Kingdom and European Union while Meta continues discussions with regulators.
According to a company spokesperson, Meta aims to scale this technology globally by 2025. The company believes facial recognition technology can enhance the speed, accuracy, and effectiveness of scam detection and account protection while addressing privacy concerns.
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