Facial recognition remains a highly controversial technology, but Meta is betting that users will be more open to it if it helps them maintain control over their Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Three years after discontinuing its facial recognition system, Meta plans to integrate these tools into both platforms to combat spam and expedite access recovery for compromised accounts. In a blog post, the company stated, “Scammers are relentless and continuously evolve their tactics to evade detection, so we’re building on our existing defenses by testing new ways to protect users and make it harder for scammers to deceive others.”
Meta’s objectives are twofold. First, scammers often exploit images of celebrities in “celeb-bait” schemes to mislead users into interacting with fraudulent advertisements. The new tool will compare faces in suspicious ads with those on public figures’ Facebook and Instagram pages. If a match is found and the ad is identified as a scam, it will be blocked.
Early testing results have been encouraging, according to Meta.
More importantly for users, the company is also exploring the use of video selfies for account recovery. Facebook and Instagram are testing this process to verify a user’s identity when an account is reported compromised. The facial recognition technology will compare the video selfie to the profile pictures on the account to assess the validity of the claim.
Meta assures users that these video selfies will not be uploaded to profiles or made visible to friends, and any facial data generated during the comparison will be deleted.
Meta previously abandoned its facial recognition program in 2021, which included features like suggesting name tags for individuals in photos, and deleted over a billion facial recognition templates. This decision followed concerns raised by watchdogs about privacy implications and increased regulatory scrutiny in the European Union.
At that time, Meta noted that the technology could still be valuable for identity verification and anti-fraud measures, stating it would “continue working on these technologies and engaging outside experts.”
