Meta Uses Facial Recognition To Tackle Celebrity Scam Ads

Meta has announced plans to implement facial recognition technology to combat scam ads involving celebrities that have been rampant on its Facebook and Instagram platforms.

This initiative surfaces three years after Meta discontinued its facial recognition capabilities on Facebook due to widespread opposition. The company is hopeful that this latest endeavor will be more positively embraced by its user base.

According to Meta, “Scammers frequently exploit images of well-known figures, including content creators and celebrities, to lure individuals into engaging with deceptive ads that redirect to fraudulent websites. These sites often request personal information or monetary payments.” This rationale was shared in a blog post highlighting the reintroduction of facial recognition technology.

Meta already operates a system that flags fraudulent celebrity-related ads, but it intends to enhance its effectiveness. Going forward, if an ad is flagged as potentially fraudulent and features a public figure, the facial recognition technology will be used to match the ad’s image with the profile pictures of that public figure on Facebook and Instagram. If a match is confirmed and deemed a scam, the ad will be blocked.

To avoid the backlash that led to the previous removal of facial recognition technology, which included automatic photo-tagging, Meta has stated it will erase any facial data captured for this one-time match, regardless of the outcome. The data will not be stored or utilized for any other purpose.

Initial tests with a select group of celebrities and public figures have yielded encouraging outcomes. Meta plans to expand the program, inviting more celebrities who have been targeted in these types of scams. Those chosen will be informed and can opt out at any time.

Regaining Access to Accounts

In addition to its scam-fighting efforts, Meta is trialing facial recognition technology as a means for users to verify their identities and recover access to their Facebook and Instagram accounts if they forget their passwords, lose their devices, or fall victim to phishing scams.

Currently, users with compromised accounts must verify their identities by uploading a government-issued ID or a certificate that contains their name. However, Meta is now testing a “video selfie” verification option to facilitate account recovery.

As explained by Meta, “Users will upload a video selfie, which we will compare using facial recognition technology against the profile pictures associated with the account they wish to access.” This verification method is said to resemble the identity verification tools commonly used to unlock mobile devices or access other applications.

All uploaded video selfies will be encrypted, securely stored, and will not be accessible on any Meta platform. The videos will be deleted immediately after they have been used for identity verification.

Meta noted, “Video selfie verification broadens the options for users to recover their accounts, is quick and easy to complete, and provides a simpler method for verifying their identities.” The company acknowledges that while hackers will continue to attempt to exploit account recovery, this new verification method is expected to prove more challenging for them compared to traditional document-based identity checks.