Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has announced the revival of its facial recognition technology, which was discontinued three years ago due to privacy concerns and regulatory pressures.
The company aims to combat "celeb bait" scams by enrolling approximately 50,000 public figures in a trial that will compare their profile photos with images used in suspected scam advertisements. The trial will roll out globally in December, excluding certain jurisdictions where regulatory clearance has not been obtained.
Meta's vice president of content policy, Monika Bickert, emphasized the company's commitment to protecting public figures from image misuse. Participants in the trial will be notified and given the option to opt out.
The decision to reintroduce facial recognition technology reflects Meta's efforts to address regulatory concerns and manage public sentiment regarding user data privacy. The company previously shut down its facial recognition system in 2021 and deleted the face scan data of one billion users. Meta faced a legal setback when ordered to pay $1.4 billion to settle a lawsuit alleging illegal collection of biometric data. The company is also facing lawsuits related to celeb bait scams.
The new trial aims to provide a proactive solution while ensuring that any facial data generated will be immediately deleted. The facial recognition tool has undergone privacy and risk reviews and discussions with regulators, policymakers, and privacy experts.
Meta plans to explore using facial recognition data to assist non-celebrity users in regaining access to their accounts. The company is aware of the scrutiny it faces and aims to combat digital scams while respecting user privacy.