Facebooks sees your face

Who would have thought it? Facebook using technology to profile its users? Now the company, seemingly undeterred by the privacy scandals that have hit it is seeking to use facial recognition and is asking users in the EU and Canada to allow it to deploy its face-matching technology.

Facebook began face-matching users in 2011, but stopped doing so for EU after protests from regulators and privacy campaigners. Although it is clear that in the EU and Canada the company is to use opt-ins, and there is a case for being able to identify photographs of yourself you may not have given permission for, it again raises questions of how fast technology is outstripping norms, and when privacy tools invade privacy.

Outside of the EU and Canada users will asked to review privacy controls, but in this case they will need to opt out of the system.

Of course, the whole issue is in part driven by how facial recognition technology can be used (building connections, mood, targeting) and in part helping to increase screen time for advertising.

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