The social network dares another attempt: After the failed attempt five years ago, Facebook wants to re-introduce facial recognition in Europe. This time users will have a choice.
About five years after the first failed attempt, Facebook tries it again: Face recognition is to be re-introduced in Europe. Users should be able to decide for themselves whether to activate the function or not. So far, the function was not available in EU countries.
In a blog post, the company announced on Wednesday that initially selected users in Europe will test the face recognition. "At first, we only ask a small percentage of people to make sure everything is working properly," the statement said.
With this function fraud attempts should become identifiable more easily in the future. Thus, a user is notified when a fraudster uses a foreign photo as his profile photo. Users are also alerted by Facebook if they appear unmarked on a photo - a publication of which they may not agree.
Face recognition should also benefit people with visual impairment. An algorithm links names to the people depicted in the photo and, if necessary, prompts the user to see who's on the photo.
The function criticized by privacy advocates is now being reintroduced on the occasion of the new EU General Data Protection Regulation. In the announcement, Facebook promises users more control over privacy settings.
Face recognition is just a function to be tested. The activation is voluntary, will be proposed to the users and must be actively activated. If the user does nothing or rejects the suggestion, the face detection remains switched off.
The opt-in feature was also the requirement of face recognition opponents who had prevented the first try in Europe. In 2013, the social network failed to introduce a function to scan members' faces. Privacy advocates criticized the tests back then and forced Facebook to stop the face recognition.
At that time, the opponents threatened that if Facebook introduce functions for face recognition again without obtaining the consent of the parties in advance, a new legal process would be initiated. The US company now assures that it will comply with data protection regulations in the future.
Source: dpa
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It's happening in the U.S. too, and I'm not hearing anyone talk about it, so thank you for calling attention! I found this post hidden among my FB feed a couple days ago:
"Face recognition
Introducing face recognition for more features
Hi, Cova. We're always working to make Facebook better, so we're adding more ways to use face recognition apart from just suggesting tags. For example, face recognition technology can do things such as:
• Find photos you're in but haven't been tagged in
• Help protect you against strangers who use your photo
• Tell people with visual impairments who's in your photo or video
You control face recognition. This setting is on, but you can turn it off at any time, which applies to features we may add later.
–
The Facebook Team
Go to Settings Learn More"
And I had to physically opt out of the service in my settings. They are automatically turning it on.
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p.s. following you now :)
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Thats probably due to the strict privacy rules in Europe. Crazy that they just can do it in the U.S., and enable it by default.. people will probably never know about it if they don't see that post.
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I've heard some really creepy stuff about screens embedded with facial rec tech. . .
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You got a 7.47% upvote from @passive courtesy of @sarasate!
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You got a 3.60% upvote from @upmewhale courtesy of @sarasate!
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