Facebook will shut down facial recognition system

Facebook will shut down facial recognition system
Tue, November 2, 2021, 11:05 AM · Reuters

(Reuters) -Facebook Inc announced on Tuesday it is shutting down its facial recognition system, which automatically identifies users in photos and videos, citing growing societal concerns about the use of such technology.

"Regulators are still in the process of providing a clear set of rules governing its use," Jerome Pesenti, vice president of artificial intelligence at Facebook, wrote in a blog post. "Amid this ongoing uncertainty, we believe that limiting the use of facial recognition to a narrow set of use cases is appropriate."

The removal of face recognition by the world's largest social media platform comes as the tech industry has faced a reckoning over the past few years over the ethics of using the technology.

Critics say facial recognition technology https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/exclusive-why-us-hospital-oil-company-turned-facial-recognition-2021-04-20 - which is popular among retailers, hospitals and other businesses for security purposes - could compromise privacy, target marginalized groups and normalize intrusive surveillance.

The news also comes as Facebook has been under intense scrutiny https://www.reuters.com/technology/changing-facebooks-name-will-not-deter-lawmaker-or-regulatory-scrutiny-experts-2021-10-20 from regulators and lawmakers over user safety and a wide range of abuses on its platforms.

The company, which last week renamed itself https://www.reuters.com/technology/facebooks-zuckerberg-kicks-off-its-virtual-reality-event-with-metaverse-vision-2021-10-28 Meta Platforms Inc, said more than one-third of Facebook's daily active users have opted into the face recognition setting on the social media site, and the change will now delete the "facial recognition templates" of more than 1 billion people.

The removal will roll out globally and is expected to be complete by December, a Facebook spokesperson said.

Facebook added that its automatic alt text tool, which creates image descriptions for visually impaired people, will no longer include the names of people recognized in photos after the removal of face recognition, but will otherwise function normally.

The technology will now be limited to certain services such as helping people gain access to their locked accounts or unlock a personal device, Facebook said in the blog post.

In a few months or years we'll probably find out they sold the tech (and the database) to a CIA cutout operation or some other nefarious corporate entity.

Nobody really thinks it's just going to be *deleted*, do they?

LoL

If Facebook could "destroy" someone's life, family, etc. it was only a matter of time before *something* destroyed that shit. Facebook just happened to be in the vicinity when it happened.

Fer fuck.

Temple's wife surfs the dark web. Yup.

The Wise And Powerful wrote:

Temple's wife surfs the dark web. Yup.

That could be exciting... I'll ask her for a surf-along, and tell you
of the wonders of the dark web..
maybe I could get a canister of weed, huh..

Temple wrote:

The Wise And Powerful wrote:

Temple's wife surfs the dark web. Yup.

That could be exciting... I'll ask her for a surf-along, and tell you
of the wonders of the dark web..
maybe I could get a canister of weed, huh..

More like a container load.

Prediction:

Due to her activity on the dark web Temple's wife becomes addicted to midget furrie porn; their marriage falls apart; Temple loudly blames Facebook for destroying his life because he's too embarrassed to admit his wife prefers 4' tall guys in dog costumes.

Vitriol wrote:

Prediction:

Due to her activity on the dark web Temple's wife becomes addicted to midget furrie porn; their marriage falls apart; Temple loudly blames Facebook for destroying his life because he's too embarrassed to admit his wife prefers 4' tall guys in dog costumes.

Damnit Vit-- you know me so well..
OK- when all goes to hell and I lose everything I will come live with you.
We will grow old together and have many adventures at plenty of fish place.
It will be great, buddy! you and me to the end, yuppers.

Temple wrote:

Damnit Vit-- you know me so well..
OK- when all goes to hell and I lose everything I will come live with you.
We will grow old together and have many adventures at plenty of fish place.
It will be great, buddy! you and me to the end, yuppers.

So you want me to suffer the tortures of the damned *before* I die?

Malicious bastard.

Vitriol wrote:

Temple wrote:

Damnit Vit-- you know me so well..
OK- when all goes to hell and I lose everything I will come live with you.
We will grow old together and have many adventures at plenty of fish place.
It will be great, buddy! you and me to the end, yuppers.

So you want me to suffer the tortures of the damned *before* I die?

Malicious bastard.

nnnawww relax--
I'll bring weed to keep you out of your misery..
Most likely we will need food stamps so you will
be the grocery shopper..
Looking forward to our bachelor adventures..

Temple wrote:

nnnawww relax--
I'll bring weed to keep you out of your misery..
Most likely we will need food stamps so you will
be the grocery shopper..
Looking forward to our bachelor adventures..

Forget the weed, just bring a gun.

And shoot me.

Vitriol wrote:

Temple wrote:

nnnawww relax--
I'll bring weed to keep you out of your misery..
Most likely we will need food stamps so you will
be the grocery shopper..
Looking forward to our bachelor adventures..

Forget the weed, just bring a gun.
And shoot me.

Ahh Vit--
I'm having second thoughts..
Living with you will be a lot of irritating drama-
I've decided to stay with my wife and kids.
Not much drama with them..
Accept- daughter is 16 now- lots of drama there.
Boys, driver license/car all that stuff that when I was
16 was no problem but- she's a girl.
So. I'm needed with my family.
I hope you understand and won't be upset over it all.
We're still bestie buds, yes--
And-- you can keep the food stamps!!

Temple wrote:

Ahh Vit--
I'm having second thoughts..

{resisting the urge to make a "don't you need to produce a first one to have a second?" joke}

Temple wrote:

I've decided to stay with my wife and kids.

Oh well.
Can't be helped.
Fully understood and no hard feelings.
Truly.

{heavy sigh of relief}