Facebook has updated how its face recognition features work and will be turned off for some users by default going forward. However, for those accounts in which the features have already been turned on, users will have to manually opt out. Read along for what’s changed, and how to turn off Facebook’s face recognition.
Facebook shared the update on its use of face recognition and the default settings in a Newsroom post today. The first part of the news is that there has been a shift from the previously used “tag suggestions” to the broader face recognition features now available. Some users have had the full set of face recognition features available, while some accounts were limited to the tag suggestions feature.
New Facebook accounts and those who only had tag suggestions will see a new notification that describes how the most recent face recognition features work. If you’ve already had the features on your account, you won’t see the notification (and they are likely turned on, skip below if you want to turn them off now).
Facebook says that for those who receive the new notification, face recognition will be off by default.
Users can still be tagged in photos manually if they decide to keep face recognition turned off.
Facebook says it also uses face recognition to:
- Provide accessibility features by telling people with visual impairments who’s in a photo or video.
- Help protect you and others from impersonation and identity misuse, and improve platform reliability.
Notably, users who already had the face recognition features turned on will have to manually turn off the feature. We’ll cover how to turn off the feature on iPhone and iPad as well as the web below.
How to turn off Facebook face recognition
- Open the Facebook app and tap the three-line icon in the bottom right corner
- Swipe down and tap Settings & Privacy then tap Settings
- Under Privacy, tap Face Recognition
- Tap No to turn off the feature
Here’s how the process looks:
On the web, click the drop-down arrow in the upper right corner > Settings > and select Face Recognition on the left sidebar to turn it off.
To learn more details about how Facebook uses face recognition, read the fine details here.
If you’re considering deactivating or deleting Facebook, we’ve got a walkthrough for those steps.
For more help with getting the most out of your Apple devices, check out our how-to guide as well as the following articles:
- How to check if your Apple Watch is eligible for a free screen replacement
- How to find a lost iPhone, iPad or Mac – even if it’s offline
- How to downgrade from the iOS 13.1 beta
- How to remove a broken headphone plug from your iPhone
- How to read SD and microSD memory cards on iPhone and iPad
- How to extend Apple Watch battery life while traveling
- How to conserve your cellular data use on iPhone and iPad
- Apple Card: How to opt out of the arbitration agreement
- How to add an Infrared remote-controlled accessory to your HomeKit smart home
- How to report and remove iCloud calendar spam
