Tougher Facebook Security Is On Its Way

It is used as an additional security measure to prevent unauthorized parties gaining access to data, content and resources.

Facebook is the latest online giant to enhance their security systems. The social media platform has made their account verification process tougher with facial recognition technology, in an attempt to crackdown on suspicious activity. The verification process is now prompting users to upload a photo of their face which verifies their identity, proving they are human and not machine. Facebook inform users that they will check the image and ‘permanently delete it from [its] servers’.

What do we know so far?

To prevent system hacking and manipulation, Facebook has purposely released very few details regarding the new verification process. However, Facebook has publicly confirmed that each photo will be checked to ensure it is unique to prevent suspicious activity, including activity locations. For example, if you are generally UK-based, activity overseas in Gambia or Cyprus would be recognized as suspicious.

Speaking of the development, one Facebook spokesperson said that the new verification process would “help us catch suspicious activity at various points of interaction on the site, including creating an account, sending Friend requests, setting up ads payments, and creating or editing ads”.

Business benefits

For businesses, the heightened security will be an added benefit to make professional accounts more secure, and harder to be hacked. However, the verification process is still being developed with some users reporting that they have been locked out of their account whilst they wait for images to be checked. Whilst these reports are unconfirmed, Facebook is expected to carry out trials across the platform in spring 2017 – if Reddit posts are to be believed.

Facebook’s use of facial recognition technology is the first development we have seen since the launch of Apple Face ID on the new iPhone X – and they aren’t the only ones to be experimenting with the latest facial recognition technology. With many leading companies across the globe experimenting with the tech, we could expect to see its inclusion across many sectors, online platforms and devices in the near future.