Meta brings back facial recognition technology to Facebook, Instagram: What this means for users

Mark Zuckerberg-owned Meta platforms has announced that it is bringing facial recognition system back to its apps, nearly three years after it stopped using the technology following a widespread backlash. Instead of using its facial recognition systems for automatically identifying people in an image, the company said that it will use this technology for spotting and tackling celeb-bait ad scams.

Meta, in a detailed blog post explaining the use of Scammers often try to use images of the facial recognition technology, wrote that scammers often use images of public figures to lure internet users into engaging with ads that lead to scammy websites, wherein they are often asked to share personal information or send money. To tackle this, the company will use its facial recognition technology to compare faces in the ad to the public figure’s Facebook and Instagram profile pictures. Once it determines that the ad is indeed a scam, it will block the ad from all its apps. It will also delete any facial data generated from ads for this one-time comparison immediately.

In addition to this, the company will soon start showing in-app notifications to a larger group of public figures who have been impacted by celeb-bait scams to inform them that the company is enrolling them in this protection. This feature will be available on an opt-in basis and that users will be able to opt-out of it anytime.

Facebook, Instagram's Video Selfie Verification feature

Additionally, Meta said that it is testing a new video selfie verification feature for Instagram and Facebook profiles. This feature will enable users to verify their identity and regain access to compromised accounts by uploading a video selfie. In the background, the company will use its facial recognition systems to compare the selfie video to the profile pictures on the account that a user is trying to access.  

"As soon as someone uploads a video selfie, it will be encrypted and stored securely. It will never be visible on their profile, to friends or to other people on Facebook or Instagram," Meta wrote in its blog post adding that it will immediately delete any facial data generated post this comparison even if it doesn't find a match.