#CreepAlert: How Facebook could use your photos for targeted advertising
What's the story
We all know about Facebook's far-reaching data collection practices. The company uses user activity on its platform, be it story reactions or preferences, to deliver personalized ads and generate money. But, that's just the beginning. A new patent has indicated that the social network could soon have another ad-targeting tool - the photos you upload. Here's how this could happen.
Patent
Patent to detect objects from photos
Awarded on April 9 by the US Patent and Trademark Office, the patent in question details a computer-vision based content detection technology. The system, if developed and utilized, could allow Facebook to scan your photos, determine the products and brands you use and deliver more ads according to it. This could boost revenue for the social network, which already has over two billion users.
Working
How this tech would work
The technology, as the patent describes, would rely on an image object recognition algorithm to scan photos and find branded products. For instance, if you post a photo wearing a Levis shirt, the algorithm will see that and send that information to Levis, prompting the company to buy similar ads on the platform to be delivered to you.
Information
Plus, the photo would also be promoted
The patent also mentions that the photo hosting the product identified by the algorithm will also be boosted on the feed of others (sharer's friends), turning the owner of the image into a micro-influencer. This could save the trouble of getting people to promote products.
Other benefits
Additional information tracking for brands
Along with more personalized ads and product promotion, the technology patented by Facebook could even allow companies to track demographic information in connection to their products. Put simply, the tech could use the photos shared by users to give brands information about the popularity of their products, say, within a particular age group or a specific region.
Problems
Now, this could raise some alarms
Given Facebook's recent privacy-related debacles, a photo-scanning tech could easily raise alarm amongst users of the service. However, don't be scared yet; this is just a patent and there's no saying when or if Facebook would go ahead and actually integrate something like this with its products. The company has not commented on the matter as of now.