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Should You Let Facebook Save Images of Your Face?
Facebook is used by billions of people across the globe and many of those users upload dozens of photos of themselves every single day. This makes Facebook the world’s leading database of photos of faces from all over the world. Facebook has begun rolling out facial recognition software in Europe after the idea was originally defeated in 2012 due to fears of privacy issues.
In the United States, Facebook is being challenged by litigation in California that was filed by three residents of Illinois. It is a class-action lawsuit that was filed under the Biometric Information Privacy Act, which is just one of two laws in the country that limit commercial facial recognition programs. This case was ordered to proceed by a California judge.
Digital Tracking on Your Devices
Digital tracking occurs on almost every single electronic device on the market today. Most digital tracking takes place using your fingerprints, GPS coordinates, cookies, and digital fingerprints. However, Facebook wants to utilize facial recognition, which is the most identifiable part of the human body.
In an interview with USA Today, Alvaro Bedoya noted that cookies can be deleted and browsers can be changed and you can leave the smartphone at the office or at home. However, Bedoya said that you are unable to delete your face. There’s no way you can leave your face behind. Bedoya is a facial recognition expert who works at Georgetown Law.
Facebook has said that it would not sell facial recognition data to advertisers or other entities, but instead use it to better target the ads placed on users’ feeds. The company also claims that it maintains strong control over the database it operates that has the likenesses of its users.
Jennifer Lynch is the senior attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation. She told USA Today that Facebook users have no idea where the biometric data we provide Facebook is being sent. The social media company claims that it works to keep us safe online, but the company has proven time and again that it does not make the right choices when protecting the data of its users.
New Photo ID System
In December 2019, Facebook announced that it would release a new photo identification system for all of its users. This new system would notify users when a picture of them has been posted to Facebook even if the user was not tagged in the picture. This was done partly to notify users when their likeness is used as a profile picture by someone else in an effort to cut down on impersonation accounts.
Pam Dixon is the executive director of the World Privacy Forum. Dixon told USA Today that we deserve to know more about the database operated by Facebook.
Contact a Philadelphia Attorney About Your Facebook Privacy Case Today
Has your privacy been violated by another user on Facebook or by Facebook itself? If so, it’s time you consult with an experienced Philadelphia entertainment law attorney about your Facebook privacy case. The attorneys at Marrone Law Firm, LLC fight vigorously for our clients so they receive the compensation they deserve for damages incurred due to privacy violations. Call our office in Philadelphia at 215-709-7360 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a consultation. Our main office is located at The Bellevue at 200 South Broad Street, Suite 400 in Philadelphia, PA 19102 and we also operate an office in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.
