Facebook may be in legal trouble over German privacy laws
04 August, 2011
category: Biometrics
Social networking site Facebook could be in legal trouble with Germany due to Facebook’s usage of facial recognition technology on uploaded pictures being in violation of the country’s privacy and data protection laws, according to a Guardian article.
Johannes Caspar, an official Germany’s data protection sector, has written Facebook demanding the removal of the program and destruction of collected data or face fines that could top $420,000.
Among the chief concerns of the government is that Facebook’s facial recognition software is automatically turned on on user accounts allowing user’s to opt-out rather than opening the technology to users allowing users to opt in at their own discretion.
Specifically, Caspar sees the potential for abuse in Facebook’s system wherein someone could gain access to facial recognition data and use the data to spy on people.
Read the full story here.