Meta fights Facebook scam ads with facial recognition

Meta says it has obtained regulatory approval to roll out a trial for its facial recognition system built to fight off malicious online adverts linked to the faces of celebrities as a bait.

According to Independent UK, the company that owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, said it will pilot the software in the UK and later in the European Union.

Scam ads linked to public figures have been reported in the UK with a BBC presenter Naga Munchetty cited as once being a victim of deepfake ads that used her face.

The system is already being trialled in the United States and other parts of the world.

The outlet quotes Meta as explaining that the system functions by flagging “celeb-bait” ads it suspects, and then tries to match the face linked to the ad to the profile photo of the celebrity in question, to determine if they are real.

Once the ad is adjudged to be a scam, the account posting the ads will be immediately blocked.

The Independent quotes David Agranovich, an official in charge of security policy at Meta, as saying that the trial is part of efforts by the company “to keep people safe while keeping bad actors out.”

He further stated that “the measures we’re rolling out this week utilize facial recognition technology to help us crack down on fake celebrity scams – commonly referred to as celeb-bait, and to enable faster account recovery for people whose accounts have been locked or potentially hacked.”

When the trial begins in the UK, users will get notifications asking if they are willing to opt in so as to receive the facial recognition protection against online celeb-bait ads.

On the aspect of facilitating the recovery of blocked or breached social media accounts, users will be required to provide their selfie biometrics for verification. The measure from Meta has been praised as a positive step forward in ensuring the safety of users of its social media platforms in the face of increasing online criminal activities and bait scams.

Meta says the move is part of its efforts to keep its online community safe and to combat the growing phenomenon whereby the identities of renowned figures are used to commit crime.

In the last few years, the company has also faced major scrutiny and struggles, including from European regulators, over personal data and privacy issues.

Article Topics

face biometrics  |  Facebook  |  facial recognition  |  fraud prevention  |  Meta  |  selfie biometrics  |  social media