Users should have to opt-in to automatic photo tagging rather than opt-out
MUMBAI / BANGALORE, India – December 20, 2010 –IT security and control firm, Sophos, is reminding Facebook users to keep up-to-date with their privacy settings as Facebook announces its latest controversial feature. The social network is launching automated photo tagging initially in the US, but will roll out the feature across the rest of the world in coming months.
Facial recognition software will mean Facebook can match people’s faces in photos with other images where they appear. The tagging will not be completely automatic, as the tags will just be suggestions, but users will be identified by default unless they opt-out.
Once users have been identified to Facebook by one friend, they run the risk of being identified by Facebook to other friends. Even people who aren’t on Facebook, or who choose not to identify themselves openly in uploaded photos, may nevertheless end up easy to find in online photos.
“While this feature may be appealing for those Facebook users that are keen to share every detail of their social life with their online friends, it is alarming to those who wish to have a little more anonymity,” said Graham Cluley, Senior Technology Consultant at Sophos. “Rather than allowing users to opt-out of this feature, surely Facebook users should be given the option to opt-in? A recent Sophos poll showed that 90% of Facebook users think that all Facebook features should become totally opt-in. With this new feature, I’d say that this percentage is likely to rise.”
If users are not willing to be part of this feature, they need to make sure that they opt-out when the feature is live. Keeping on top of new features and ensuring that privacy settings are up-to-date on Facebook is essential for Facebook users to ensure that they’re not sharing too much personal information online.
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More than 100 million users in 150 countries rely on Sophos as the best protection against complex threats and data loss. Sophos is committed to providing security and data protection solutions that are simple to manage deploy and use and that deliver the industry’s lowest TCO. Sophos offers award-winning encryption, endpoint security, web, email, and network access control solutions backed by SophosLabs-a global network of threat intelligence centers. With more than two decades of experience, Sophos is regarded as a leader in security and data protection by top analyst firms and has received many industry awards. Sophos is headquartered in Oxford, UK and Boston, US. More information is available at www.sophos.com
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