Facebook is making a move to enhance its users privacy by notifying them whenever their photos are uploaded through the use of facial recognition technology, when they agree to let the company keep a facial template on file.
The company made the revelation in a statement on Tuesday that it thought that some people would want to be notified of pictures they might not otherwise know about, though it intends to make the feature optional to allow users enhance their privacy.
Facebook said the feature may not be immediately available in Canada and the European Union, because privacy laws are generally stricter in those regions, however it is hopeful about implementing same there in the future.
Facial recognition technology has been a part of Facebook since 2010, when the social network began offering suggestions for whom to tag in a photo.
According to deputy chief privacy officer, Rob Sherman, for users who have opt in, Facebook creates what it calls a template of a person’s face by analyzing pixels from photos where the person is already tagged. It then compares newly uploaded images to the template.
Facebook deletes the template of anyone who then opts out.
They would also get a notification from the company if a photo of them has been uploaded, though only if the photo is one they have access to.
" The company plans to add an “on/off” switch to allow users to control all Facebook features related to facial recognition. We thought it was important to have a really straightforward way of controlling facial recognition technology,” Sherman said.
The company also said the feature may help reduce impersonations, as well as assist to describe photos in words for people who have vision loss, so that they can tell who is in a photo.
Tech companies are putting in place a variety of functions using facial recognition technology, despite fears about how the facial data could be used.
