Tag Suggestions
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Facebook's Tag Suggestions feature used facial recognition to scan faces in users’ photos and offered suggestions about who the person might be. Introduced in June 2011, the feature was enabled by default and ran on virtually every face in photos uploaded to the Facebook platform.
Per EPIC, Tag Suggestions worked through a four-step process in which the tool tries to detect faces in uploaded images; standardises, or “aligns,” the face along a set of parameters, such as orientation and size; computes a “face signature,” which is a string of numbers that represents that particular face; and searches a database of stored “face templates” for a match.
The stored face templates are calculated based on other photographs that a user is tagged in. A match occurs when the face signature falls within a threshold of similarity to a stored face template, at which point Facebook suggests tagging the user to whom the face template is assigned. Facebook claimed that they only store face templates, and not face signatures.
In 2019, Facebook discontinued its use of Tag Suggestions, replacing it with its general facial recognition system which is turned off by default and used for a variety of purposes, including the identification of new users.
System 🤖
System 🤖
Website:
Developer: Meta/Facebook
Purpose: Suggest friends to tag
Type: Facial recognition
Technique: Machine learning
Documents 📃
Documents 📃
Facebook (2019). An Update about Facial Recognition on Facebook
Transparency and accountability 🙈
Transparency and accountability 🙈
Tag Suggestions has been accused of significant transparency and accountability limitations:
Decision-making process. The exact workings of the facial recognition algorithms are not disclosed, making it difficult for users to understand how they were identified.
Inadequate user control. Users were given insufficient control over their biometric data and how it was used.
Data retention policies. Lack of clarity on how long facial recognition data is stored and when/if it was deleted.
Third-party data access. Unclear policies on whether user data is shared with third parties or used for other purposes.
Cross-platform data sharing. Lack of transparency on how data might be used across Facebook-owned platforms.
Error accountability. Unclear processes for addressing misidentifications or unauthorised tagging.
Risks and harms 🛑
Risks and harms 🛑
Tag Suggestions has been criticised for violating privacy, making it easier for malicious actors such as stalkers to identify and target individuals, and causing racial and other forms of discrimination, as well as emotional and psychological harms such as anxiety, distress, irritation and anger.
Incidents and issues 🔥
Incidents and issues 🔥
Legal, regulatory 👩🏼⚖️
Legal, regulatory 👩🏼⚖️
State of Texas v. Meta Platforms, Inc., f/k/a Facebook, Inc., case no. 22-0121
Patel v Facebook
Page info
Type: System
Published: August 2024
Page updated
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