Facebook announced in a blog post on July 1, that it is rolling out a new faster and easier way for you to tag your own photos based on face detection technology. So, instead of drawing a box around your friend’s face and then tagging her, Facebook automatically recognizes where her face is located and a box pops up with face already selected and you simply type in her name and hit enter.
In Ask First Before Tagging People in Pictures on Facebook from a couple of months ago, I noted in the comments, “The reality is that very soon photos will be auto-tagged, thanks to face recognition technology“. I couldn’t imagine that the process would start this soon!
Sure it makes it a heck of a lot more convenient for those who love to upload and tag photos, but it’s a short slippery slope to face recognition where photos from across the web can be auto-tagged and show up on your Facebook profile. Yikes!
The tagging feature is just the start of “improvements” we’re trying out, Facebook ominously, promises.
I can accept that a culture shift regarding privacy, even the redefining of the term is underway, but it sure seems to be moving at warp speed, led by the maddingly irresistible and ever more powerful Facebook.
I’ve removed all privacy settings and instead, temper what I say online. Do I have to do the same with photographs? Come to think of it, when within my control, I already do.
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