Russia-based facial recognition app FindFace was used to identify and harass Russian porn actresses and prostitutes, resulting in an outcry about privacy loss.

According to GlobalVoices, users of Russian imageboard “Dvach” (2chan) launched a campaign to deanonymise actresses and alleged prostitutes using FindFace. Archived copies of the victims' Vkontakte pages were then shared with their friends and families.

Women registered on the 'Intimcity' website, which markets prostitution services, were also targeted.

Participants in the campaign were allegedly motivated by moral outrage towards an industry they viewed as 'corrupt and deceptive.'

The incident raised concerns about the ease which consumer facial recognition systems can be misused.

It also prompted questions about the governance of NtechLab, the company behind FindFace.