4 ms·

What about Facebook's massive facial recognition database? Any concern for that, especially since we voluntarily contribute to it?

Artistry121 13y ago
I think that it is voluntary is precisely why it is not of concern. There is an opt-out and no one is forced to use facebook.
- LoganCale 13y ago
  People regularly post pictures of others and tag them without their permission.
  - iamwithnail 13y ago
    There's also an element of practical coercion in Facebook. Numerous academic studies have found it both addictive and leveraging social necessity (I.e. You don't actually need it, but practically, many people suffer actual impacts -loss of contact, social ostracism) if they don't have it. Fb's facial recognition system is at least as worrying as the FBI one, in part because the FBI and CIA will soon start using it, if they're not already.
baddox 13y ago
My only concern with that is that the government may be given access or may forcefully take access.
pron 13y ago
Oh, it's far worse, and there's nothing voluntary about it (just as there's nothing voluntary about GMail). And even if it were voluntary, Facebook (and Google, which is far, far worse, IMO) tries not at all to make it clear to the public how they pay for Facebook's services. The massive spying and data collection by Google and Facebook is probably the largest , and possibly most dangerous, surveillance campaign in history. Worst of all, unlike the FBI (or the NSA), Facebook and Google constantly analyze and use any piece of personal data they can get their hands on.
- meowface 13y ago
  I don't necessarily disagree, but intent plays a role here too. Google's intentions and the FBI or NSA's intentions differ quite strongly when they have your personal information in their system.
  - pron 13y ago
    Well, the FBI's intentions are to catch criminals with the information, while Google's and Facebook's are to sell it for profit.
    - gr3yh47 13y ago
      And the FBI NEVER would abuse their power or use their access for other purposes. Same as the NSA.
      - pron 13y ago
        Of course they might. But so would Google and Facebook. And in either case it doesn't even have to be an order from above, but an action by a single employee. At least I'd like to hope that the FBI performs more thorough background checks on its employees than Google or Facebook.
- higherpurpose 13y ago
  Pretty sure NSA "constantly analyzes" all the data, through keyword alert systems.
  - pron 13y ago
    Sure, but they look for certain things, because their job is to prevent crime/terrorism. It is Google job to mine your private information for whatever they can use to make profit. Google and Facebook are in the business of turning surveillance to money. The FBI/NSA aren't.

Artistry121 13y ago

I think that it is voluntary is precisely why it is not of concern. There is an opt-out and no one is forced to use facebook.

LoganCale 13y ago
People regularly post pictures of others and tag them without their permission.
- iamwithnail 13y ago
  There's also an element of practical coercion in Facebook. Numerous academic studies have found it both addictive and leveraging social necessity (I.e. You don't actually need it, but practically, many people suffer actual impacts -loss of contact, social ostracism) if they don't have it. Fb's facial recognition system is at least as worrying as the FBI one, in part because the FBI and CIA will soon start using it, if they're not already.

baddox 13y ago

My only concern with that is that the government may be given access or may forcefully take access.

pron 13y ago

Oh, it's far worse, and there's nothing voluntary about it (just as there's nothing voluntary about GMail). And even if it were voluntary, Facebook (and Google, which is far, far worse, IMO) tries not at all to make it clear to the public how they pay for Facebook's services. The massive spying and data collection by Google and Facebook is probably the largest , and possibly most dangerous, surveillance campaign in history. Worst of all, unlike the FBI (or the NSA), Facebook and Google constantly analyze and use any piece of personal data they can get their hands on.

meowface 13y ago
I don't necessarily disagree, but intent plays a role here too. Google's intentions and the FBI or NSA's intentions differ quite strongly when they have your personal information in their system.
- pron 13y ago
  Well, the FBI's intentions are to catch criminals with the information, while Google's and Facebook's are to sell it for profit.
  - gr3yh47 13y ago
    And the FBI NEVER would abuse their power or use their access for other purposes. Same as the NSA.
    - pron 13y ago
      Of course they might. But so would Google and Facebook. And in either case it doesn't even have to be an order from above, but an action by a single employee. At least I'd like to hope that the FBI performs more thorough background checks on its employees than Google or Facebook.
higherpurpose 13y ago
Pretty sure NSA "constantly analyzes" all the data, through keyword alert systems.
- pron 13y ago
  Sure, but they look for certain things, because their job is to prevent crime/terrorism. It is Google job to mine your private information for whatever they can use to make profit. Google and Facebook are in the business of turning surveillance to money. The FBI/NSA aren't.