Valley attorney: Facebook facial recognition carries identity theft risk

PHOENIX — Facebook has rolled out software that digitizes faces to all users.

Valley attorney Marc Lamber told KTAR News 92.3 FM that the facial recognition software creates a digital template.

“Using pixels from photographs you’ve submitted, it’s looking at the distance between your eyes, the distance from your eyes to your nose, the width of your jaw line. It’s putting together a digital map,” he said.

Lamber said the more you read about it, the more you learn. If your photograph is out there, can someone hack into devices, bank accounts, etc.?

“It’s different than passwords, social security numbers and credit cards that can be changed,” he said.

“Your face can’t be, and once someone gets your biometric signature, then what?”

This recognition software has ushered in a new age of identity theft concerns. Lamber said read the fine print before you opt into anything.

“With electronics it becomes easier and easier to just push a button and say ‘I agree.’ How many actually read what they’re checking that box on? Barely anyone. And you need to,” he said.

Lamber said, as with everything, there are pros and cons.

“If we’re making informed decisions, that’s all anyone of us can hope for,” he said.

Facebook has said facial recognition is turned off by default for new users.

The social media giant is facing billions of dollars in potential damages after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco rejected its argument to halt a class action lawsuit that was filed by Illinois users.

The 2015 suit claims Facebook illegally collected and stored the biometric data of millions of users.

Follow @Crossfire923