By Zainab Shafiq 
In a bold move to tackle the rising tide of online scams, Meta, the tech giant behind Instagram and Facebook, is rolling out a cutting-edge facial recognition tool designed to detect fraudulent advertisements featuring celebrities. The tool, which has already been tested in select markets, will soon be available to public figures in the UK, the European Union, and South Korea, with plans for a broader rollout in the near future.
The initiative comes as fake ads using doctored images of celebrities continue to plague social media platforms. These scams often dupe users into sharing sensitive information or parting with their money. Meta’s new “celeb-bait” protection tool leverages facial recognition technology to scan and compare public figures’ profile pictures with images in suspected scam ads. If misuse is confirmed, the ads are automatically blocked.
Meta launches facial recognition tool, says it will help identify misused images of public figures
David Agranovich, Meta’s director of cyber threats, emphasized the tool’s potential to combat even AI-generated deepfakes. “We believe this tool will help us identify misused images of public figures,” he said during a press briefing. Public figures in the UK and EU will soon receive notifications allowing them to opt into the service.
In addition to targeting scam ads, Meta is integrating facial recognition into its account recovery process for all users. Those who opt in can verify their identity by recording a short video if their account is locked. The company assures users that facial data will be used solely for verification and deleted immediately afterward, in compliance with European data protection laws.
This marks a significant shift for Meta, which halted facial recognition in 2021 due to privacy concerns. However, the company announced its return to the technology in October 2024, citing the need to combat deceptive practices on its platforms.
As Meta takes this step forward, the tech world watches closely to see how this tool will balance innovation with privacy concerns, setting a new standard for online safety.
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