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The largest social media website Facebook likely to
add profile pictures into database soon in order to facilitate its users
for improved control on personal information.
Experiencing best results with Facebook’s ‘Tag Suggest’ feature for
identification of faces in latest uploaded photos after comparing with
previous pictures, the company likely to take decision for upgradation
of the feature for facial recognition technology which will speed up the
process of labelling or “tagging” friends and acquaintances who appear
in photos posted on the network.
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Previous technology just identifies faces newly uploaded photos by
comparing them only to previous snapshots in which users were tagged but
in upcoming move Facebook users could choose to remove tags identifying
them in photos posted by others on the site.
The changes would be implemented at the time when Facebook and other
internet companies’ privacy practices are under examination following
the revelations of a US government electronic surveillance program.
Earlier, Facebook, Google and other companies had insisted that they
have never gave the government direct access to their computer servers
but the provision of information on specific requests with measured
review and as required by law.
Facebook chief privacy officer Erin Egan said that adding members’
public profile photos would give users better control over their
personal information, by making it easier to identify posted photos in
which they appear.
“Our goal is to facilitate tagging so that people know when there are
photos of them on our service,” Egan said.
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She stressed that Facebook users uncomfortable with facial recognition
technology will still be able to opt out of the tag suggest feature
altogether, in which case the person’s public profile photo would not be
included in the facial recognition database.
Facial recognition technology has been a sensitive issue for technology
companies, raising concerns among some privacy advocates and government
officials. Tag suggest, which the company introduced in 2011, is not
available in Europe due to concerns raised by regulators.
Google’s social network, Google+, also employs similar technology, but
requires user consent. And it has banned third-party software makers
from using facial recognition technology in apps designed for its Glass
wearable computer.
Egan said Facebook was not currently using facial recognition technology
for any other features, but that could change.
Egan claimed that facial recognition technology will not be used for any
other purposes, however, if they decided to use it in different ways
people will be provided transparency about it and they will continue to
provide control.
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