It’s common for users to forget their passwords these days, especially when managing multiple accounts and devices. If you’ve experienced this before, you’ll be glad to know that Meta will make it easier to recover your lost or hacked Facebook and Instagram accounts through a video selfie.
Currently, you can recover your lost Facebook, Messenger, or Instagram account through email or phone recovery, security questions, or additional verification methods. However, there might be instances when hackers gain access to your account and change the associated email address and phone numbers, locking you out completely. While manual review from Meta is an option, it usually takes a long time and is quite an arduous process.
A Quicker Way to Recover Your Lost Facebook or Instagram Account
In a blog post, Meta announcedit is testing a new method using facial recognition technology for users to easily regain their Facebook or Instagram accounts if they get locked out. Meta says users locked out from their accounts will be given the option to upload a video selfie, which will use a similar procedure as setting up face scanning in other apps and iPhone’s FaceID.
According to the company, the process takes around a minute to complete. Once submitted, the company will use machine learning to create facial data to match and verify against the user’s profile pictures. The facial data generated is encrypted on their server and not visible to other users. It is also deleted after a one-time comparison.
Celeb-Bait detection
Apart from the new recovery method, Meta is also testing similar face detection technology to detect scams and impersonations using images of celebrities or public figures, known as “celeb-bait,” to promote unofficial promotions or ads.
Similar to the video selfie, AI is used to detect facial data in this content and compare it to the official Facebook and Instagram accounts of celebrities. This will automatically block these ads or promotions once detected.
Meta is already testing the anti-celeb-bait feature with select accounts. As for the video selfie recovery feature, the company has not mentioned when it will roll out to the public.
How do you protect yourself from online scams and phishing? Share your suggestions in the comments.