Meta to crack down on celebrity ads and make it easier to recover lost accounts with facial recognition technology

We have all seen how artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI, can be used for malicious purposes, for example to create “celebrity bait” advertisements. These advertisements use the images of celebrities and well-known public figures to fool unsuspecting individuals into believing that the advertisements are truly celebrity-endorsed, thereby increasing credibility and the likelihood of falling for the scams.

Now, Meta, a leading advertising platform, is taking a stand against these celebrity-baiting ads using its facial recognition technology. This system will help identify such fraudulent advertisements and will also enable faster account recovery of users affected by scams.

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Fighting Celeb-Bait Ads: How Does It Work?

Meta says its ad review system relied on automated technology and machine learning to review the millions of ads submitted to its platforms. However, Meta is now stepping up its efforts by integrating facial recognition technology. This technology compares faces in advertisements with the profile photos of public figures who may be spoofed on Facebook and Instagram. If a match is detected and the ad is confirmed to be a scam, it is immediately blocked.

Meta reports that initial tests of this feature have shown promising results and that the testing process, as well as the efficiency of the system, has been further improved using this technology. Meta also works to identify fake accounts impersonating public figures, which often promote investment schemes or request personal information in exchange for fake gifts. Thanks to facial recognition, these accounts can now be identified and processed more efficiently.

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Helping people recover from compromised accounts

In addition to combating celebrity ads, Meta is introducing new measures to help users recover their accounts. Often, users lose access to their accounts when they forget their passwords or are tricked by fraudsters into revealing sensitive information. This can result in the loss of several years of publications, personal data, etc.

Meta users can verify their identity by submitting an official government ID or certificate with their name, but Meta is currently testing a “selfie video” feature to help users regain access to compromised accounts. It works by asking the user to submit a selfie video, which Meta will compare using facial recognition technology with the profile picture of the account it is trying to recover.

Meta assures users that the uploaded selfie video is encrypted and stored securely. It will not be visible on their profile or accessible to others. Additionally, Meta automatically deletes all facial data after the comparison process, whether a match is found or not.

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