Facebook Forced to End Photo Tag Tool in Europe

What is “Face Recognition Technology”
“Facial Recognition Technology” is simply put a computer application program that will automatically identify a person from a digital image or a video source by comparing selected facial features from the image and a facial database. Since the launch of this system not just by Facebook, but by many government agencies concerns have been raised by many individual rights organizations that their privacy is being compromised by the use of surveillance technologies by corporations and the state. Some even fear that it could lead to a “total surveillance society.” The system can also be used uncover other personal information from the user such as Individual blog post, social networking profiles and a persons individual Internet behavior patterns. This is dangerous as it gives the ability for any government agency or random strangers to secretly collect the identities and personal information of anyone captured by this technology.     

The Facebook Database
Facebook does not have any shortfall of photographs in there database. As of July, 2010, Facebook had over 50 billion user photos (more than any government agency in the world). Face book arrived at this staggering number quite simply (the unsuspecting user). In May, 2009 Facebooks users were adding a staggering 220 million photos each week and Facebook were serving there users over 3 billion images ever day, with a staggering 550,000 images served per second to its users every day. So if you think you may not have been tagged yet think again.

Are Facebook Complying With This Ruling
Facebook in December, 2011 were given by the Data Protection agency (DPA’s), six months to comply with its recommendations. That would give Facebook until the 15th October 2012 to comply totally with the (DPA’s) recommendations and the (DPA) say now that they are encouraged by the decision to switch it off for users in Europe by the 15th, October,2012. Facebook so far has made it unavailable to new users so it is hoped that Facebook will comply with the rest of the order. Facebook has also said  “Our intention is to reinstate the tag-suggest feature, but consistent with new guidelines. The service will need a different form of notice and consent.” So we await the 15th October 2012 and see what happens and in ending be careful who you tag, you may be giving away someone’s identity.

Stevetheblogger

Sources and credits: BBC England and Wikipedia.