Facebook boots controversial facial recognition

Menlo Park, California - Facebook said on November 2 that it will shut down its facial recognition system in the coming days.

There is still no clear regulation on the use of facial recognition, but at least Facebook is getting rid of its face ID database.
There is still no clear regulation on the use of facial recognition, but at least Facebook is getting rid of its face ID database.  © Collage: 123RF/rvlsoft & perspectivex

The system automatically recognizes users and tags them in photos and videos. The stored data of more than a billion people will be deleted, Facebook said.

The company said there are many concerns over such technology and "and regulators are still in the process of providing a clear set of rules governing its use."

"Amid this ongoing uncertainty, we believe that limiting the use of facial recognition to a narrow set of use cases is appropriate," it said in a statement.

Facebook, however, still sees the technology as a "powerful tool, for example, for people needing to verify their identity, or to prevent fraud and impersonation."

Facebook's face recognition system was met with resistance, especially in Europe. Users had to give their explicit consent for their names to be automatically tagged in photos or videos.

For users who have not activated the function, nothing will change, as no data will have to be deleted.

Cover photo: Collage: 123RF/rvlsoft & perspectivex

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