Facebook’s facial recognition capabilities are about to get a little creepier
If you’re the type of person who ducks out of photos to avoid being tagged, Facebook is on to you. The company’s artificial intelligence lab is developing an experimental algorithm that detects users’ identities based on body shapes, hair and clothes instead of faces.
The idea mimics humans ability to recognize people in the same way we use clues without seeing faces. In an interview with the New Scientist, Yann LeCun, Facebook’s head of A.I. gave the example of Mark Zuckerberg who is identified “very easily, because he always wears a gray T-shirt.”
Facebook uploaded 40,000 photos from Flickr, some of them showing people’s faces and others partially obscured, and ran them through a “sophisticated neural network.” The algorithm was able to detect people’s identities 83 percent of the time.
The intent isn’t to be creepy, claims LeCun. The tool could be used to alert people that pictures of them have been uploaded to the Internet without their knowledge. More practically, the tool will be used to ease the burden of tagging multiple photos at once.
Still, Facebook might have trouble convincing users that this yet-to-be-released tool isn’t invading people’s privacy. It’s already embroiled in controversy in Europe over its facial recognition services: European regulators have blocked the release of Facebook’s new photo-sharing app Moments over its facial recognition abilities, which the company has nailed down to human-like accuracy.
So, if you’re trying to avoid Facebook, perhaps the best solution for now is to never leave the house.
Image courtesy of YouTube.
-
For many influencers, speaking out on Roe v. Wade is an obvious choice
Influencers are concerned about losing potential brand deals because they don’t want to work with those that don’t share their values on choice.
-
Gannett reviews employee blowback to social media policy memo after Roe overturn
After receiving criticism for forbidding its journalists from posting opinions on the Supreme Court striking down Roe last week, Gannett is reviewing employee perspectives.
-
Companies turn to employee resource groups to manage internal discourse around the abortion ruling
Companies are using ERGs to facilitate employee conversations, as well as executive leadership via companywide emails to employees stressing their support for wellbeing and the availability of managers for support.
-
SponsoredWhy the caliber of content is paramount for advertisers
Agata Brodniewska, brand safety manager, Dailymotion Content is king when attracting consumers but is equally essential when courting advertisers. While both stakeholders want many of the same things, they most notably want relevant content they can count on to deliver an accurate and honest message without confusion or misinformation. This is especially important for advertisers […]
-
Member ExclusiveMedia Briefing: The pros and cons of three commerce pricing models
In this week’s Media Briefing, media editor Kayleigh Barber breaks down the different pricing models that commerce publishers use.
-
Bloomberg Green’s expansion increases its service-oriented coverage
Bloomberg's climate vertical is adding new products and coverage areas to lean into solutions-oriented journalism.
