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FACEBOOK’S new facial recognition feature for photos posted to the social networking site has drawn the attention of EU data protection officials who are concerned about tags being added without users’ consent.
The feature, which was introduced on a limited basis for testing in December in the US, uses facial recognition software to suggest name tags for newly-uploaded photos.
However, the Register reports that Facebook has added the feature to more accounts – without notifying users first. It reports that Facebook says it realises it “should have been more clear with people during the roll-out process when this became available to them”.
A Facebook spokesperson said the feature was now available in most countries – including Ireland.
Bloomberg reports that EU data protection regulators are concerned about the automatic tagging of photos without a person’s prior consent. Gerard Lommel from the Article 29 Data Protection Working Party said tags shouldn’t be added “by default” as they could “bear a lot of risks for users”.
How to opt-out
Facial recognition is an opt-out feature, meaning users have to actively change their settings if they don’t want to use it. In its blog, Facebook says the feature will help people tag their photos more easily and that over 100 million tags are added to photos on the site every day.
The company says that anyone who doesn’t want to use this feature can disable it via the privacy settings on their profile under ‘Account’:
Just click “Customise Settings” and “Suggest photos of me to friends.” Your name will no longer be suggested in photo tags, though friends can still tag you manually. You can learn more about this feature in our Help Centre.
Turned it off. Dangerous times. /Tinfoil Hat
Started using it about 5 weeks ago. Its not very accurate but i wouldn’t be very concerned about data protection.
Enda remember how Facebook started out small, look at monster its developed into. I would be concerned about the future implications of all this effort by Facebook to get you to part with as much info about yourself as possible.Its only a matter of time before they start dna sampling and micro chipping babies at the rate technology is taking over.
If you retain the ability to untag yourself, I fail to see a problem.
It’s also highly unlikely that an automated face recognition facility will be very effective, given the variations in image quality that are out there.
Don’t you think it’s funny our government can’t even obtain this kind of information about it’s citizens without a court order, but facebook and other social networking site have been given the latitude? Why not, for the government it’ll be like going to the library and avoid dealing with the ACLU, Lawsuits, etc., Wait is this the facebook that has like buttons all over the web and can track your whereabouts? Not the same facebook that bowed to china, and doesn’t allow it’s chinese users to talk about politics and religion is it? OnlyMeWorld.com the new alternative to facebook. No Real Names, No Email!
You, my friend, are an idiot. Who wants to spend their time on website full of fake profiles? On facebook people provide their real name – you always know who you are talking with. Okay, I haven’t provided my real second name, but by name and pictures my friends still know who I am.
Second thing – don’t base your website on dissing massive companies, you’re not gonna get far with that.
(Bit of devils advocate here) is the flip side of the privacy argument that this will notify you of photos being posted up by people you don’t know, while your friends might think twice about posting embarrassing photos others might not. This way you know who has what of you.
So what if your Tagged in a photo ,who cares switch face book off, go out side take a walk take up golf read a book or play a board game with friends or family .Facebook who says you have to even use it ,…How do the people in China live without it !
China has it’s own popular social networking sites with content control.
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