Market Analysis
Three years after Meta (NASDAQ: META) discontinued its facial recognition software on Facebook due to growing privacy concerns and regulatory pressure, the company announced on Tuesday that it is now testing the technology again. This time, the aim is to combat "celeb bait" scams.
Meta will enroll approximately 50,000 public figures in a pilot program, where the platform will automatically compare their Facebook profile pictures with images used in suspected scam ads. If a match is found and Meta believes the ads are fraudulent, the company will block them.
The celebrities involved will be notified and given the option to opt out if they do not wish to participate, according to Meta.
The trial is set to roll out globally starting in December, with some exceptions. Countries such as Britain, the European Union, South Korea, and U.S. states like Texas and Illinois will be excluded due to the lack of regulatory approval, Meta stated.
Monika Bickert, Meta’s vice president of content policy, explained that the program is focused on protecting public figures whose images have been exploited in scam advertisements.
"Our goal is to provide as much protection as possible for these individuals. They can opt out if they prefer, but we want to ensure that this protection is readily available," Bickert told reporters.
This initiative highlights Meta’s attempt to balance the use of facial recognition technology, which has raised privacy concerns, with addressing the increasing number of scams. The company is also trying to avoid further criticism regarding its handling of user data, an issue that has long plagued social media platforms.
In 2021, Meta shut down its facial recognition system and deleted facial data from one billion users, citing rising societal concerns. In August 2023, the company agreed to pay $1.4 billion to settle a lawsuit in Texas that accused it of illegally collecting biometric data.
Simultaneously, Meta is facing legal action for allegedly failing to prevent celeb bait scams, which often use AI-generated images of famous people to deceive users into investing in fake schemes.
During the new trial, Meta said it will immediately delete any facial data generated from comparing profile images with suspected scam ads, regardless of whether a scam is detected.
Bickert emphasized that the new tool underwent a thorough internal privacy and risk review, and Meta also engaged in discussions with regulators, policymakers, and privacy experts before launching the trial.
Meta also revealed plans to test facial recognition for non-celebrities on Facebook and Instagram. This technology could help users regain access to their accounts in cases of hacking or forgotten passwords.
Paraphrasing text from "Reuters" all rights reserved by the original author.