Facebook asks users to submit nudes to prevent 'revenge porn'
In a bizarre development, Facebook has urged users to send in their nude pictures to the company in order to prevent them from being used as 'revenge porn'. The project, which is currently in trial in Australia, has naturally attracted criticism. But Facebook insists it will store the images for a short time only and then delete them. Here's how it will work.
How will it work?
If someone suspects their nude photos might be leaked in vengeance, they first have to fill a form on the Australian e-safety commissioner's website. Then they have to send the photos to themselves on Messenger. The e-safety commissioner's office will notify Facebook in the meantime. A Facebook community operations analyst will analyze and hash it. Resultantly, all similar images uploaded afterwards will be blocked.
The technology behind the program
Photo-matching technology has existed since 2009, when Microsoft created a program to restrict online circulation of sexual abuse of children. But abusers could evade it by simply altering the images. Currently, IT giants like Facebook, Google and Twitter use PhotoDNA's "hash" matching technology that detects altered images too. Facebook released a tool in April'17 allowing users to report explicit photos to "specially trained representatives".
But who will guard the guards?
This system is far from foolproof. How can users be sure employees won't leak the images themselves? Or they won't be hacked? E-safety commissioner Julie Inman Grant says users shouldn't worry. "It would be like sending yourself your image in email, but...much safer." She insisted Facebook won't store the image, only the link. However, till Facebook releases certain preventive measures, the risks are obvious.
