Facebook quietly switches on facial recognition
 

Might be easier to find porn stars in the future...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/06...on_by_default/

Facebook has rolled out its facial recognition technology to countries outside of the US, but has switched the feature on by default without telling its users first.

UK-based security expert Graham Cluely noted earlier today that Facebook had slotted the tech into the social network.

The Mark Zuckerberg-run company started using its facial recognition software in December last year for its Stateside users in a move to automatically provide tags for the photos uploaded by Facebook users.

The tech works by scanning newly uploaded pics and then identifies faces from previously tagged photos already stored in Zuckerberg's internet silo.

When the software was introduced in the US late last year, Facebook pointed out that users could disable the function.

"If for any reason you don't want your name to be suggested, you will be able to disable suggested tags in your Privacy Settings," the company wrote on its blog post last December.

But now that the tech has reached other shores, Facebook clearly didn't feel the need to alert its international stalkerbase that its facial recognition software had been switched on by default within the social network.

The "Suggest photos of me to friends" feature in question is located in the company's privacy settings. Facebookers need to click on "customise settings" before being able to access the function and disable it, if they so wish.

"Unfortunately, once again, Facebook seems to be sharing personal information by default. Many people feel distinctly uncomfortable about a site like Facebook learning what they look like, and using that information without their permission," said Cluley.

"Most Facebook users still don't know how to set their privacy options safely, finding the whole system confusing. It's even harder though to keep control when Facebook changes the settings without your knowledge."

He said Facebook shouldn't require its users to constantly check their privacy settings to see what the company has changed since their last visit to the site.

"The onus should not be on Facebook users having to 'opt-out' of the facial recognition feature, but instead on users having to 'opt-in'," he said.

"Yet again, it feels like Facebook is eroding the online privacy of its users by stealth."

very interesting, we have been considering this for FUBAR for the last couple of years:2 cents:

just another example that facebook is a tool of the NSA.

I wonder, you can turn it off in privacy on your own account for pictures you post, but if someone else posts a picture of you and doesn't have it turned off, will that then spill over to other photos and group shots all over the place?

you mean the CIA :winkwink:

Correct :thumbsup

Yes, privacy is very important on a site in which you post your name, where you live, your romantic situation, where you grew up, where you went to school, your friends, your relatives, and your day to day activities. :error

Quick... grab your umbrellas!

http://i52.tinypic.com/33oofh0.jpg

:1orglaugh

Facebook... the name sounds so high school jockish.

It's like survivor where contestents cant go the whole 39 days without the parents checking in. "Oh Im so lonely"

This generation is afraid to be alone for ten minutes.

post of the month

So because I go out in public where people can see what I look like and know where I go and what I am doing at that time means I want them to know every fucking thing about me and to follow me home and just stalk the shit out of me?

who the hell is on facebook ?

people making money off clickbank, poker, and health sites :thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup

if you are on facebook with a personal account, you are asking for it. Glad i dont use that big brother site.

Definitely a prick move but if you do Facebook, disable it: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_873018.html

Quote of the year right here. Last time I went to my son's school event, I swear the amount of "helicopter parents" I saw there was eye opening. The couldn't let their kids go ten feet without having to call them out for every little thing.

Kids are too dependent as you said... were going to see a LOT of 30 year olds living at home in the next ten years I'd say... and that could be a good thing, because 30 year olds make money, don't pay rent and have lots of disposable income for fapping.

I think things are about to improve in the long run. I'm getting ready now for it :)

yeah because terrorists use facebook...

who gives a fuck? it's not like anyone on here uses facebook...

Yup, it's idiotic really. And it's becaus of this "needy" generation, people in general seem to piss me off now.

Even close friends seem to have turned into complete assholes now, bitching about pointless shit, checking stupid fucking status updates every few mins, even when out at the bar etc. It does my fucking head in... Bah!

I noticed this like a month ago when I uploaded a picture of me and my ex girlfriend....The software had already tagged both of us...All I had to do was click OK.

Thanks for posting this, I would've had absolutely no idea otherwise.

the last couple of years? is there software you could have licensed or something?

I heard fubar had developed some patent pending tits and ass recognition software.

When will we see it live?

I uploaded a picture of zuck and it tagged him "douchebag" automatically, good technology imo.

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

The unfortunate the reality is that when you go to family events, school events for your children, work events, social events, or ANY event where someone might know you, is on Facebook, and has a camera, you are tagged and entered into the database. :Oh crap

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