Texas Launches Suit Against Meta Over Facial Recognition Software

Last November, Meta announced it would be shutting down its facial recognition system, binning over a billion user “faceprints” following backlash from lawmakers and privacy advocates.

Now, Texas has filed a lawsuit against the company for use of the technology, alleging it violated state privacy laws by collecting biometric data without proper consent.

“Facebook will no longer take advantage of people and their children with the intent to turn a profit at the expense of one’s safety and well-being,” said Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton.

“This is yet another example of Big Tech’s deceitful business practices and it must stop,” he added.

According to CNET, although Meta has already halted the use of its facial recognition software, the lawsuit claims the platform had exploited Texans’ personal information for over a decade.

Features such as automatically notifying users when they appeared in pictures or videos, and suggesting tags by matching faces to previously uploaded photos, were part of the controversy that led to Facebook shuttering the system as a whole.

“Little did users know that when they answered the simple question of who was in the photograph, they were helping to teach Facebook’s facial recognition technology to better map and recognize human faces for the benefits of Facebook’s commercial endeavors—and to the detriment of users’ and non-users’ personal safety and security” the lawsuit stated.

In response to the lawsuit, Meta told Reuters the claims “are without merit” and that the company would defend itself “vigorously.” 

[via CNET and Reuters, cover image via Shutterstock]