Back in December of 2017, Facebook first introduced its Face Recognition privacy setting. If a picture of you was uploaded across Facebook, you would get a notification alerting you, even if you weren’t tagged. Once previewing the image, you have the option to tag, untag, or report the photo. Over the next few weeks, the feature should be available to all users.
Why is Facebook Updating its Face Recognition Policy?
Facebook found itself in some legal trouble back in August after the goliath company got in trouble for storing data without user consent. This could mean billions of dollars in damages if the case reaches the supreme court.
Part of the lawsuit was that Facebook wasn’t disclosing how its facial tech was operating. Now, with an updated privacy policy, the company is truly setting in motion ways to make up for any deficiencies in the old privacy policy, and to be more forward and upfront about its face ID tech.
The new policy replaces Tag Suggestions, expands on tagging options, and alerts you if you are in a photo, even if you weren’t tagged in it. The policy also states that the default setting for face ID will be turned off. So, if you read the new policy update and do nothing, your face ID will not be on from the beginning. This new default setting enables users to turn the settings on themselves, and covers Facebook from any potential damages for consumers saying they didn’t know that the technology was on without them knowing.
Nobody Likes Secrets
It seems as though Facebook is trying to get out of the business of keeping secrets. Not being upfront with privacy policies can land big companies in hot water. Ring, the smart home tech company that is owned by Amazon, has found itself in the news lately from being secretive about its back-end features available to law enforcement. Essentially, Ring can turn over any footage to law enforcement without consent from the user. This leaves a lot of people uneasy with the technology. If a giant company can do whatever they want with private data, it becomes a slippery slope, and dangerous territory for the consumer.
It’s important to stay educated on any information pertaining to your privacy rights, police camera registry trends, and ways to protect your privacy, so you can stay as protected as possible.
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