Facebook Will Soon Use Facial Recognition Technology To Verify Users

Facebook is reportedly working on a facial recognition feature on its app to help verify users.

Yesterday, Jane Manchun Wong, an app researcher, and tech blogger tweeted about this feature. She also said that users would be asked to look at different directions so that the camera can take all of the needed angles.

The videos taken will be for verification only, and they are to be deleted after 30 days, according to Wong.

This is not the first time Facebook tries to tap into facial recognition technology. It used the technique to enable tagging suggestions, which raised controversy, as many users argue that the company did not ask for their consent when it applied the facial recognition function. This has partially led to a historic settlement with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) in which the company had to pay a penalty of $5 billion. The agency said that Facebook had confused users about how they can control the way their pictures are used.

Apart from the hefty fine, the FTC also required Facebook to clearly inform users of its facial recognition technology used on the site, as well as obtaining users’ consent before doing anything exceeds the disclosures.

Back in September, Facebook’s policies on the technology was updated and facial recognition is no longer used by default on the site. Users now have the choice to allow or not allow the use of the tech on their photos.

The company said that those who have the feature turn on, and new users of the site would be informed in detail of the way the company uses the tech.

Facial recognition has become more common in the last few years, and companies of all sizes are using it one way or another. Amazon software has the ability to detect emotions of people’s faces.