Facebook Runs Ads Teaching Users How To Turn Off Facial Recognition

Facebook ruffled feathers last month after it turned on its facial recognition feature by default. Now, the social network is seeking to remedy this by running ads showing users how to turn the feature off — though it is still turned on by default.

The feature in question is called Tag Suggestions. Here’s how it works: Whenever you’re offered the chance to tag groups of your friends in an album, Facebook will use facial recognition technology, and faces on previously tagged photos, to suggest the name you should tag a friend with. The feature is turned on by default, and you must change your privacy settings to opt out of it.

Facebook instituted the ads after Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen contacted the company to voice his concerns over user privacy. “Facebook has made significant changes that will provide better service and greater privacy protection to its users, not only in Connecticut, but across the country,” Jepsen said in a statement.

The first round of ads ran on Facebook at the beginning of July. The second began Tuesday. Facebook claims that every U.S. user will see the ad at least twice.

“For any users who opt out, any facial recognition data collected will be deleted,” Jepsen added.

What do you think of Facebook’s fix? Is it sufficient?