Meta introduces facial recognition to tackle scam ads

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is rolling out new facial recognition technology to help combat scam ads using people’s images without their permission. The company hopes to stop “celebrity bait” scams, where public figures’ likenesses are misused to push misleading or malicious content.

The tool will match users’ photos against those in scam ads to help real account holders regain control. Currently, the feature is being tested globally but is not available in the UK or EU yet. Meta is in discussions with regulators in these regions.

When the system detects a potential scam ad featuring a public figure, it will use facial recognition to compare the faces in the ad to the individual’s Facebook and Instagram profile pictures. If there’s a match, Meta will block the ad. The company says it will delete any facial data generated from these checks immediately after, regardless of the outcome.

Early tests with a small group of celebrities have shown promising results in speeding up the detection and removal of such ads. In the coming weeks, Meta will notify a larger group of people affected by scam ads and allow them to opt out if desired.

Meta is also testing facial recognition and video selfies to help users regain access to compromised accounts. The video selfies will be compared to profile pictures to confirm identity. Monika Bickert, Meta’s VP of content policy, emphasized that these efforts are part of an ongoing battle to stay ahead of scammers.