Meta again testing facial recognition software to fight ‘celeb bait’ scams

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is testing facial recognition software to combat “celeb bait” scams on its platforms, as well as to allow users to more easily regain access to their accounts. 

The tech giant plans to use the technology to identify “celeb bait” ads, which use images of public figures in ads that lead people to scam websites where they are asked to share personal information or send money. 

If its systems detect possible “celeb bait,” Meta will use facial recognition to compare the faces in the ad to the public figure’s profile pictures on Facebook and Instagram, it said in a blog post Monday. 

The company is also testing the use of facial recognition software to verify user identity. With the technology, users would be able to upload a video selfie that would be compared to their profile pictures. 

“Scammers are relentless and continuously evolve their tactics to evade detection,” Meta said in its blog post. “We’re just as determined to stay ahead of them and will keep building and testing new technical defenses to strengthen our detection and enforcement capabilities.” 

Meta previously sought to employ facial recognition software but halted its use of the technology in 2021 in the face of “growing societal concerns” and a lack of “clear rules” from regulators. 

The tech giant emphasized Monday that it had vetted its latest uses of facial recognition “through our robust privacy and risk review process and built important safeguards.” 

Meta immediately deletes any facial data used in these processes and does not use it for any other purpose, it said.

The company also plans to start providing public figures who have been impacted by “celeb bait” scams with notifications to let them know they have been enrolled in the program. However, they have the ability to opt out, Meta noted.