Meta Experiments With Facial Recognition for Security Purposes

Meta’s testing a couple of new security processes that utilize facial recognition, which is an element that Meta’s run into various troubles with in the past.

First off, Meta’s testing a new facial matching process to help identify “celeb-bait,” which is where scammers use images of public figures in order to bait people into engaging with ads that then lead to scam websites.

In this new process, Meta’s matching the faces used in ads to high profile users, and where there’s a match, confirming with the users’ official profile as to whether it’s a legitimate, endorsed promotion.

As explained by Meta:

“If our systems suspect that an ad may be a scam that contains the image of a public figure at risk for celeb-bait, we will try to use facial recognition technology to compare faces in the ad to the public figure’s Facebook and Instagram profile pictures. If we confirm a match and determine the ad is a scam, we’ll block it. We immediately delete any facial data generated from ads for this one-time comparison, regardless of whether our system finds a match, and we don’t use it for any other purpose.”

Note the definitive explainer in the last line. As noted, Meta has faced various challenges in utilizing facial recognition in the past, with privacy advocates raising concerns that such data could be used for malicious purpose, if it were to fall into the wrong hands.

Back in 2021, Meta shut down its face recognition processes on Facebook entirely, amid a broader shift in policy designed to distance the platform from the controversies of its past. Facial recognition tools are already being used for questionable purpose, including identifying people entering sports stadiums, and matching people’s criminal or credit history in real time. In China, for example, facial recognition technology is being used to catch people jaywalking, and send them fines in the mail, or further penalize people who’ve not paid parking fines. Or worse, to identify Uyghur Muslims and single them out for tracking.  

That’s one of the more chilling use cases for facial recognition technology, in picking out certain groups, and targeting them based on such information. Which is a key concern for Western regulators in administering policy around its use, and why Meta has sought to step away from the technology, for the most part.

But now, it’s wading in again, with selected use cases for face ID.

In a second experiment, Meta’s also testing video selfies as a means for people to verify their identity in order to regain access to compromised accounts.

“The user will upload a video selfie, and we’ll use facial recognition technology to compare the selfie to the profile pictures on the account they’re trying to access. This is similar to identity verification tools you might already use to unlock your phone or access other apps.”

So again, this is a limited use case, and Meta’s keen to note, again, that it will not keep any of these selfies on file. 

“As soon as someone uploads a video selfie, it will be encrypted and stored securely. It will never be visible on their profile, to friends or to other people on Facebook or Instagram. We immediately delete any facial data generated after this comparison regardless of whether there’s a match or not.”

But it is another step into facial recognition, which will no doubt raise concerns among privacy and security experts.

So should Meta be looking to implement more use of facial ID?

Well, it’s a strong vector for cross-checking, and there’s clearly a value in the process for security means. But it is risky, and it will bring more scrutiny on Meta once again, particularly in regards to how it stores and uses selfies and video face ID.

But maybe, in a more limited, secure system, Meta will be able to implement these as more widespread security measures. I do think that Zuck and Co. will be feeling the heat as they look to expand such tools, but there may well be a case to justify face ID over other approaches. 

In addition to these experiments, Meta has also provided an overview of steps that users can take to improve the security of their account.

Some handy tips, but it’s the use of facial recognition that will be the big focus of this new push.