We mentioned in our post that we were testing this feature but didn’t go into details. I should probably point out that at this point face detection is only “on” for 1% of our users. Given the volume of photo uploads it’s going to take us some time to ramp up to 100%.

We mentioned in our post that we were testing this feature but didn’t go into details. I should probably point out that at this point face detection is only “on” for 1% of our users. Given the volume of photo uploads it’s going to take us some time to ramp up to 100%.

I’d also like to thank OpenCV & Willow Garage for their awesome open source technology. Good stuff.

Just make sure that this 1% includes me.

Great. Why not make everything public? I don’t like being tagged by others on Facebook (I don’t like photos of myself being put on there) so I try and remove the tag wherever possible. This feature is going to make the whole thing much harder. Brilliant.

Wow, I am impressed. I look forward to this coming out, though I suspect it will be sometime before it rolls out to everyone. Another “atta boy” for Facebook.

Hey Ryan, the application is called FACEBOOK! What part of the word FACE threw you?

Seriously, if privacy is such a huge issue for you, I don’t think that social networks, public wi-fi, craigslist.com or on-line banking are your cup of tea.

I agree Robin, I find this, among many many other things that are happening all around us, to completely do away with our privacy. It is very disturbing to me! Yes, I enjoy social media, BUT not at the expense of losing all of my privacy!

Hello,

I’m more than happy to stand corrected, but from my experience in media law in the US, UK, and Australia I believe I own the copyright to my own likeness (AKA their own image in photos/videos). Everyone does, as protected under under national and international laws, maybe even under the U.N. universal convention on human rights, etc)…

FaceBook should therefore ask my permission before publishing a photo of me to avoid breaching my ownership of my image, let alone before they allow me to be tagged in that photo!

Work flow should be something like this…

1) User creates photo album and uploads pics.

2) FaceBook scans photos and picks faces of users whose opt-in preferences (I.e. its not automatically possible to for the FaceBook system to ID faces unless the user opts-into it).

2B) FaceBook could maybe even provide suggestions as to who the faces might be after comparing them with the profile pics albums of the user’s friends who’s preferences allow this).

NB. facial recognition is kinda big brother though as it could be used to maliciously automatically catalogue everything ever done by anyone that gets uploaded in a photo). But if its subject to the following approval process then could be OK

3) User tags friends, using suggestions as a guide.

4) FaceBook automatically blurs the faces in the photo, allowing it to be published immediately (albeit without the faces being distinguishable to avoid breaching each person’s individual ownership of the copyright to their own image.). At least this way pics of events and whatnot can be published right away to give a general feel of what was happening.

5) FaceBook messages users friends after they’ve been tagged, showing them the part of the photo containing their (maybe face enlargeable with a magnifying glass when moused-over), but with the other faces blurred out to avoid breaching each person’s individual ownership of the copyright to their own images.

6) FaceBook IDs the other faces and messages the candidates to ask if its them (only checking the faces of the possible candidates who have opted-in to be considered in the auto-tagging process)

I.e. those who don’t get tagged by the poster, and who opt out of selection for auto-tag-suggestions don’t ever get un-blurred in photos… which is of course much better than the photo never getting published just because one of the people in it doesn’t want their likeness shown or can’t be identified by the auto-tag-suggestion system).

7A) FaceBook un-blurrs (removes blurring of individual faces), republishing it based on the permissions its received as each user tagged (or auto-tag-suggested) confirms or denies permission for this particular version of their likeness to be published…

…and…

…7B)

as each user confirms or denies permission for as each user confirms or denies permission for there to be a tag on it that IDs them in particular.

EXAMPLE SCENARIOS:

i-a) The option to veto completely the publishing of a photo that only contains your likeness (I.e. no photo online will then be online at all, let alone with a blurred face) should be available if the person is the only face/likeness in the photo. Likeness can include distinguishable features, not just a person’s face.

i-b) If multiple faces in a photo then the user should be able to petition the poster, and if they refuse to take it down, then secondly the user should then be able to anonymously petition owners of the other faces/likenesses, asking them if they are willing to support your veto of the photo’s publication as a whole. A veto from owners of all the faces in the photo should be able to overpower the poster and remove the photo altogether.

ii-a) Bad photo user doesn’t like as is…

User selects that the photo can be published with their likeliness (and any distinguishable features they select) blurred, and as they don’t like the photo they can select that FaceBook not ID them directly (I.e. not tag them).

ii-b) Bad photo user doesn’t like…

User selects that the photo can be published with their likeliness un-blurred, but as they don’t like the photo they can select that FaceBook not ID them directly (I.e. not tag them).

iii) Bad photo, but don’t mind people knowing it was you.

User selects to have their face blurred, but a tag is created anyway to show it was them (just not the look on their face as they E.g. dive off the bungee jump tower full of fear).

iv) OK photo and am happy to be personally IDed.

User selects yes un-blur my face and tag me.
________________

Without an asset approval process such as this for copyright attainment, in my opinion FaceBook currently violates the inalienable human right to privacy and ownership of their own images of each person whose likeness is published on it!!!

I.e. The current work flow not allowing the veto of photos by the copyright owners pictured in is, not obtaining permission from each person in each photo as to whether their likeness can be shown, and then also obtaining approval that that particular likeness of them should also be tagged as being them.

N.B. To be fair, it should be noted that FaceBook currently mercifully allows users remove tags of themselves post-publishing (even notifying the users they’ve been tagged), however this really isn’t good enough to prevent for example, privacy breaches where privacy was reasonably expected and cases of accidental or even malicious mistaken identity/identity theft, which can destroy reputations, careers, and even lives)!~)

If this doesn’t change, then as users become more savvy about their rights online, FaceBook’s usership might become limited to those who are completely free and easy about the use of their likeness online without permission!~)

Again, maybe I’m well off the mark with all this and am of course more than happy to be corrected, so would be very keen to hear what others think!?!

Jibtrim, real classy and totally 100% spot on….NOT!

big whoop. Too bad they can’t add SPAM detection to idiots who make multiple posts and add random people as friends. And then ban the REAL profiles with morons behind them who add these spam bot profiles. FB, never leading anything in innovation.

I like the technology itself, but I would still prefer to be able to leave myself untagged in certain photos that do contain me. (I realize I can’t hide everything if I want a public presence, but I can at least control how easy it is to find me.)

Well that’s a nice feature. It will definitely make the tagging process simpler.

I agree with Adrian. It violates copyright. I am, unfortunately, part of the 1% and I want to OPT out!!! FB should allow us to choose if we want this or not. I don’t want to be featured on the sidebar with the ads, with an invitation for people to tag my face. Screw that!

I noticed this application. However, I also noticed it works on photos on my hard disk!! And not the photos I have uploaded to Facebook!!! Where do you save my photos? I consider the application a breach of my privacy! How can I stop this application?

My apologies, due to Facebook’s questionable privacy settings, I have become a bit paranoid. Please ignore my comment, as I did find the picture in question uploaded to my Facebook account.