London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025

Facebook will shut down its facial recognition system amid growing concerns over the use of such technology

Facebook will shut down its facial recognition system amid growing concerns over the use of such technology

The technology automatically identifies users in pictures and videos but critics say it could compromise privacy.

Facebook's facial recognition system will be shut down and faceprints will be deleted for over a billion people, the social media giant has announced.

The technology automatically identifies users in pictures and videos but Facebook has decided to remove it, citing increased concerns about its use.

Jerome Pesenti, vice president of artificial intelligence at Facebook, wrote in a blog post: "This change will represent one of the largest shifts in facial recognition usage in the technology's history.

"There are many concerns about the place of facial recognition technology in society, and regulators are still in the process of providing a clear set of rules governing its use.

"Amid this ongoing uncertainty, we believe that limiting the use of facial recognition to a narrow set of use cases is appropriate."

Mark Zuckerberg's company has decided to ditch its facial recognition system


Facebook has been under the microscope in recent weeks after leaked documents from whistleblower Frances Haugen showed it allegedly has known about the harms its products cause and often did little or nothing to mitigate them.

Ms Haugen, who worked at Facebook between 2018 and 2021, gave evidence in Westminster to MPs scrutinising the Online Safety Bill on 25 October, a month after the leaked documents were published by The Wall Street Journal.

Facial recognition is popular among businesses and hospitals for security purposes, but critics have said it could compromise privacy, target marginalised groups and normalise intrusive surveillance.

Facebook said more than a third of its users have opted into the face recognition setting on its social media platform, but the change will delete templates for more than one billion people.

The tech giant added that its automatic text tool, which generates image descriptions for visually impaired people, won't include the names of people recognised in images, but it will otherwise function normally.

The change will be rolled out globally and is set to be complete by the end of the year, a spokesperson said.

Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen leaked documents which showed the firm allegedly knew about the harm its products cause


The technology will now be limited to certain services such as helping people gain access to their locked accounts or unlock a personal device, according to Facebook.

In 2019, Facebook stopped using the software to identify users' friends in uploaded pictures and automatically suggested they "tag" them, while San Francisco became the first US city to ban the use of the technology.

Facebook's decision follows the likes of Amazon, Microsoft and IBM, which last year ended or paused the sale of facial recognition software to police over concerns of false identifications.

This is the latest change at Facebook in recent days after it announced on 28 October it would be changing its company name to Meta.

The company has rebranded to focus on building technology for the "metaverse", which it sees as the next stage of the internet.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
Bessent Accuses China of Dragging Down Global Economy Amid New Trade Curbs
U.S. Revokes Visas of Foreign Nationals Who ‘Celebrated’ Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
×