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Facebook Starts Its Facial Recognition Push To Europeans (techcrunch.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: Jimmy Nsubuga, a journalist at Metro, is among several European Facebook users who have reported getting notifications asking if they want to turn on face recognition technology. Facebook has previously said an opt-in option would be pushed out to all European users, and also globally, as part of changes to its T&Cs and consent flow. In Europe, the company is hoping to convince users to voluntarily allow it to deploy the privacy-hostile tech -- which was turned off in the bloc after regulatory pressure, back in 2012, when Facebook began using facial recognition to offer features such as automatically tagging users in photo uploads. But under impending changes to its T&Cs -- ostensibly to comply with the EU's incoming GDPR data protection standard -- the company has crafted a manipulative consent flow that tries to sell people on giving it their data; including filling in its own facial recognition blanks by convincing Europeans to agree to it grabbing and using their biometric data after all. Users who choose not to switch on facial recognition still have to click through a "continue" screen before they get to the off switch. On this screen Facebook attempts to convince them to turn it on -- using manipulative examples of how the tech can "protect" them.

28 of 42 comments (clear)

  1. If an non-EU resident claims to reside in the EU.. by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

    If a non-EU resident puts their residence as an EU city on FB and maybe VPNs in a few times from the EU, will their account be covered under GDPR?

  2. Sigh by zippo01 · · Score: 1

    Didn't we just have a post about how Palantir is selling info to the US Government and China using facial recognition to track and rate people? How could this go wrong for anyone?!? The real problem is with all this we still don't know how long the US coast line is. Dammit FB do something constructive for a change.

  3. URL slug is /2018/04/20/just-say-no/ by greenwow · · Score: 1

    I think TechCrunch is trying to tell us something.

    1. Re:URL slug is /2018/04/20/just-say-no/ by Provocateur · · Score: 1

      Listen, using double negatives don't or rather does not make for proper English.
       
      Not that you're vying for the position of next /. editor.

      But back to topic: I would like Europe to be the last untouched frontier. Let the Zuckman have the colonies. In other words, here across the pond, his fellow 'muricans are his petri dish.

      --
      WARNING: Smartphones have side effects--most of them undocumented.
  4. Re:If an non-EU resident claims to reside in the E by Immerman · · Score: 2

    I can't think of any even vaguely tenuous reason why it would.

    However, you might be able to trick Facebook into giving you EU-resident treatment anyway.

    --
    --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
  5. Re:If an non-EU resident claims to reside in the E by DiSKiLLeR · · Score: 1

    And what if you are an EU citizen living in the US?

    --
    You can tell how powerful someone is by the magnitude of the crime they can commit and be able to get away with.
  6. Like it or Not! by BoRegardless · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It will make no difference to China, the NSA, Thiel & Russia.

    They all want total knowledge for total control ... if and when needed to end dissent.

  7. Europeans need to start their own push, by jenningsthecat · · Score: 2

    ... to delete Facebook. FB needs to die, to make room for social media that serves the interests of its users, rather than serving advertisers, companies like Cambridge Analytica, and other such vile putrid scum. Facebook needs to die fast and hard, to discourage investors from betting their money on business models that that rely on abusing their fellow citizens.

    --
    'The Economy' is a giant Ponzi scheme whose most pitiable suckers are the youngest among us and the yet-unborn.
    1. Re:Europeans need to start their own push, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      How does a company run serving the interest of users without a paid subscription? At some point, the cost of hardware, software, up keep, marketing, etc will draw you to advertise, and once you do, it is a slippery slope.

      I ask for sake of learning.

      However, do not give me idealogical answers. Give me practical ones that can actually be implemented.

  8. Kill Facebook, jail Zuckerberg by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

    That's the only way this shit will stop. Haven't you all had quite enough of this shit?

    1. Re:Kill Facebook, jail Zuckerberg by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

      Yes, exactly, and that's why I think all so-called 'social media' should also go away and be banned. The experiment is a failure, it's not benefical overall to people in general, it's time it all goes away and we go back to actually TALKING to each other instead.

  9. Re:If an non-EU resident claims to reside in the E by gravewax · · Score: 2

    GDPR is applicable world wide to all EU citizens or people residing in the EU. Facebook can be fined for GDPR violations in the US if you are an EU citizen living in the US. your scenario would not be covered by GDPR as you would be neither an EU citizen nor residing in the EU, lying on forms and network routing doesn't change those facts.

  10. Another reason to by AHuxley · · Score: 2

    stay away from social media. Once friends of friends start to tag images, governments, police and employers will follow the data trail.

    --
    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
    1. Re:Another reason to by angel'o'sphere · · Score: 1

      You can disable to be tagged in images since ... since ever more or less.

      --
      Cost free eBook I read (by iBook/Kobo/Amazon/ObookO/Gutenberg etc.): "The Green Odyssey" by Philip Jose Farmer.
  11. Re:If an non-EU resident claims to reside in the E by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

    I am actually a dual US and EU-country citizen, but Facebook has no way of knowing that unless I "tell" them by logging in from the EU, or specifying an EU city as my place of residence.

  12. Re:If an non-EU resident claims to reside in the E by Anne+Thwacks · · Score: 1
    I am actually a dual US and EU-country citizen

    So Facepalm is entitled to half lie to you, and sell half your personal data - the half that is most valuable to them.

    However, you have the right to carry a half-concealed weapon and shoot Facepalm CxOs half-dead.

    --
    Sent from my ASR33 using ASCII
  13. Does facebook ask ... by Alain+Williams · · Score: 4, Insightful

    their user, when seeking permission for face recognition, if they have asked all their friends if they are OK with facebook to recognising their faces ? I doubt it. So using the agreement of one facebook user facebook will work on the faces of many who have not agreed - and might not be aware that this is happening.

    1. Re:Does facebook ask ... by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      No you don't understand the point. Facial recognition still happens, the point here is that Facebook doesn't auto-tag or suggest who the person may be.

  14. No, regulate them! Alternative is - RÉN R by mimino · · Score: 1

    There is world-wide competition to be the social network of the planet. Chinese or Russian platforms will take over the void immediately if Facebook is killed. No, let's find another solution.

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  16. Re:If an non-EU resident claims to reside in the E by angel'o'sphere · · Score: 1

    EU law most of the time is only valid in the EU.
    Every human being is under jurisdiction of the laws at the place he/she resides.

    Unless it is an US law, ofc. which claim to be valid world wide.

    AND: unless there are special laws e.g. like some EU or Scandinavian countries have against child abuse or child/minor prostitution where you can get prosecuted in your home country if you committed a crime in a foreign country (by definition of your home country).

    Anyway, the EU does not claim their laws are valid all over the world, that would be nonsense and not enforceable anyway.

    --
    Cost free eBook I read (by iBook/Kobo/Amazon/ObookO/Gutenberg etc.): "The Green Odyssey" by Philip Jose Farmer.
  17. Re:If an non-EU resident claims to reside in the E by gravewax · · Score: 1

    For GDPR they do claim their law is valid throughout the world, it will be interesting when it comes time to prosecute though as unless the company has direct EU premises and business it will be difficult to enforce.

  18. Re:If an non-EU resident claims to reside in the E by angel'o'sphere · · Score: 1

    The GDPR is only relevant in the EU for citizens, residents and companies doing business in the EU.

    --
    Cost free eBook I read (by iBook/Kobo/Amazon/ObookO/Gutenberg etc.): "The Green Odyssey" by Philip Jose Farmer.
  19. Re:If an non-EU resident claims to reside in the E by gravewax · · Score: 1

    NO IT ISN'T. It is applicable to all companies that interact or do business with any company or individual with data of an EU citizen regardless of location of the company.

  20. Re:If an non-EU resident claims to reside in the E by angel'o'sphere · · Score: 1

    And how would that work?
    Or did you somehow mistype?

    Obviously it is valid for every european company.
    Does not matter if it does business with non eu companies or not.

    If I have an account on a web site in 'Oceania' ... EU laws don't apply. We are not idiots.

    --
    Cost free eBook I read (by iBook/Kobo/Amazon/ObookO/Gutenberg etc.): "The Green Odyssey" by Philip Jose Farmer.
  21. Re:If an non-EU resident claims to reside in the E by gravewax · · Score: 1

    If I have an account on a web site in 'Oceania' ... EU laws don't apply. We are not idiots.

    Actually under GDPR EU law does apply, at least according to the EU. How will it work? no idea, that is one of the big discussion points in GDPR as realistically they have no means of enforcement outside of the EU, nor means of investigation etc.

  22. Re:No, regulate them! Alternative is - RÉN R by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

    Okay. Pass laws that they're not allowed to track or collect ANY data of ANY kind, a persons data and content is their property and theirs alone, violations are criminally prosecutable. They have to charge a subscription fee, too, so no social media site has an excuse to be covertly selling data that isn't theirs. Data breaches are also criminally prosecutable as criminal negligence. Everyone has to use their real, legal name, provide verifiable government ID to prove they are who they say they are, and background checks become mandated by the federal government; this is to keep out foreign nationals so no more 'fake news' bullshit can happen. I'm sure I can come up with more.

  23. Re:If an non-EU resident claims to reside in the E by angel'o'sphere · · Score: 1

    And how would that be the case?
    If a company does not offer services in the EU via an EU branch there is no way to enforce such a law.

    --
    Cost free eBook I read (by iBook/Kobo/Amazon/ObookO/Gutenberg etc.): "The Green Odyssey" by Philip Jose Farmer.