Meta is making a strategic return to facial recognition technology, three years after discontinuing it due to privacy concerns and regulatory challenges. The social media giant announced on Tuesday that it is testing this technology to tackle the rising issue of \"celeb bait\" scams on Facebook.
The trial will involve around 50,000 public figures whose profile photos will be automatically matched with images found in suspected scam advertisements. If a match is detected and the ads are deemed fraudulent, Meta will block them. Celebrities participating in the trial will be notified and given the option to opt out, according to Meta.
This initiative is part of Meta's effort to address increasing scam-related concerns while carefully navigating data privacy issues. Monika Bickert, Meta's Vice President of Content Policy, stated that the company aims to protect public figures from having their images exploited in scam ads.
\"The idea here is to offer as much protection as possible,\" Bickert explained, adding that celebrities can choose to withdraw from the program if they prefer.
The global trial is set to launch in December, excluding regions where Meta lacks regulatory approval, such as the European Union, Britain, South Korea, and the U.S. states of Texas and Illinois.
In 2021, Meta shut down its facial recognition system and deleted data associated with one billion users, citing \"growing societal concerns.\" Earlier this year, the company was ordered to pay $1.4 billion to Texas to settle a lawsuit over the alleged illegal collection of biometric data. The current test represents Meta's attempt to use similar technology to combat celebrity-related scams while remaining mindful of privacy issues.
Meta continues to face lawsuits accusing it of not doing enough to prevent \"celeb bait\" scams, where images of famous individuals—often generated by AI—are used to lure users into fraudulent investment schemes.
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Meta relaunches facial recognition to combat celebrity scam ads
cgtn.com
