SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Facebook says it is ending its practice of using face recognition software to identify users’ friends in uploaded photos and automatically suggesting they “tag” them.
Instead, it is replacing the feature, called “tag suggestions,” with its broader face recognition setting, which identifies people’s faces in photos for various uses, not just tagging. Beginning Tuesday, people who are new to Facebook, or previously had the tag suggestions setting available, will instead get the face recognition setting, which they can turn on. It will be off by default.
People who had the tag suggestions setting turned off will see a notice about face recognition and a button to turn it on or keep it off.
Facebook was sued in Illinois over the tag suggestion feature and a federal appeals court has ruled the lawsuit can proceed.
Related stories:
Facebook Tightens Political Ad Rules, But Leaves Loopholes
Federal Election Chair Sounds Alarm on 2020 Election
Facebook Rolls Out Tool to Block Off-Facebook Data Gathering
Lawsuit Over Facebook Facial Recognition Survives Legal Challenge
FTC Fines Facebook $5B, Adds Limited Oversight on Privacy
Facebook Flags Ad for Illinois Data Privacy Forum as ‘Political’