Submitted via IRC for TheMightyBuzzard
This new protection system works similar to the anti-child-porn detection systems in use at Facebook, and other social media giants like Google, Twitter, Instagram, and others.
It works on a database of file hashes, a cryptographic signature computed for each file.
Facebook says that once an abuser tries to upload an image marked as "revenge porn" in its database, its system will block the upload process. This will work for images shared on the main Facebook service, but also for images shared privately via Messenger, Facebook's IM app. Potential victims will need to upload nude photos of themselves
The weird thing is that in order to build a database of "revenge porn" file hashes, Facebook will rely on potential victims uploading a copy of the nude photo in advance.
This process involves the victim sending a copy of the nude photo to his own account, via Facebook Messenger. This implies uploading a copy of the nude photo on Facebook Messenger, the very same act the victim is trying to prevent.
The victim can then report the photo to Facebook, which will create a hash of the image that the social network will use to block further uploads of the same photo.
This is possible because in April this year, Facebook modified its image reporting process to take into account images showing "revenge porn" acts.
Facebook says it's not storing a copy of the photo, but only computing the file's hash and adding it to its database of revenge porn imagery.
Victims who fear that former or current partners may upload a nude photo online can pro-actively take this step to block the image from ever being uploaded on Facebook and shared among friends.
We won't be doing this. I don't even want to see hashes of you folks naked.
"Worried that an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend might post your intimate photos on the internet? Facebook says it has a solution – as long as you'll hand over the photos first.
The social media giant recently announced its new plan to combat "revenge porn," when individuals post nude photos online without the consent of the subject." http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2017/11/08/facebook-says-it-needs-your-explicit-photos-to-combat-revenge-porn.html
(Score: 3, Interesting) by takyon on Friday November 10 2017, @10:29PM
Here's what they could do without involving any user action. Use a nudity detection algorithm, which I'm sure they are already running:
https://lizrush.gitbooks.io/algorithms-for-webdevs-ebook/content/chapters/nudity-detection.html [gitbooks.io]
https://blog.algorithmia.com/improving-nudity-detection-nsfw-image-recognition/ [algorithmia.com]
Then use facial recognition on the image. If the nude person(s) can be identified, prevent upload if they have not changed an opt-in setting to allow nudes of them to be posted.
If a person uploads one of their own nudes, that is a good time for Facebook to throw a warning about the dangers of posting your tits online, or just confirming that you are uploading the correct image, and then have a button that says "Opt me in!"
This could definitely cut down on some of the activity because Facebook has been using facial recognition to detect people in photos for years. I'm sure it has gotten more accurate since it debuted. Of course, once the system is in place, people can just upload the nude photos to another site. And at that point, it is no longer Facebook's problem.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]