Meta Platforms, Inc., led by Mark Zuckerberg, is reintroducing facial recognition technology on Facebook. The goal is to fight rising cases of “celeb bait” scams, where scammers use celebrity images in fake ads to deceive users. Meta facial recognition software will now compare Facebook profile photos of around 50,000 public figures with images in suspected scam ads.
Meta halted its facial recognition software three years ago due to privacy concerns and regulatory pressures. Now, it plans to test the software starting in December. If a match signals a scam, Meta will block the ad. Public figures included in this trial will be notified and can choose to opt out.Global Rollout Exclusions
Although Meta plans to roll out the trial globally, certain major regions will be excluded due to regulatory limitations. These regions include Britain, the European Union, South Korea, and U.S. states like Texas and Illinois, where Meta currently lacks clearance to use facial recognition technology. Meta’s Vice President of Content Policy, Monika Bickert, explained that the goal of this trial is to protect public figures frequently targeted by scam advertisements.
“The idea here is to offer as much protection as possible for these individuals,” Bickert said in a press briefing, emphasizing the ease of opting out for participants.
Privacy and Data Protection Measures
In response to privacy concerns, Meta stated that all facial recognition data generated during this trial would be immediately deleted after being used to screen scam advertisements, regardless of the outcome. The company said that extensive internal privacy and risk assessments, along with input from privacy experts, policymakers, and regulators, guided the development of the tool.
Aside from the celebrity scam initiative, Meta is also exploring additional uses for facial recognition technology. This may include applications for non-celebrity users, such as helping Facebook and Instagram users recover access to locked accounts.
Backstory on Facial Recognition Concerns
This reintroduction of Meta facial recognition technology comes after the company shut down its prior system in 2021, deleting data for over a billion users due to widespread privacy concerns. Recently, Meta settled a lawsuit with the state of Texas, agreeing to pay $1.4 billion for allegedly collecting biometric data unlawfully. The company has also faced lawsuits accusing it of not doing enough to stop “celeb bait” scams, which sometimes use AI-generated images of famous people to deceive users into fraudulent schemes.
By reintroducing Meta facial recognition technology, Meta hopes to make significant strides in protecting users and public figures alike from these pervasive and harmful scams.