Near the end of 2017, Facebook partnered with the Australian government on a pilot initiative designed to prevent the non-consensual distribution of sexual images, colloquially known as “revenge porn.”
Now, according to Facebook’s recent announcement, the pilot is being tested in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. The “hashing” system is designed to block explicit photos from being shared on the social media platform.
You want me to send you what, Mark Zuckerberg!?
The effort relies on users proactively supplying their intimate images, naked selfies and private porn to Facebook — before someone else does.
Facebook’s idea here invokes notions of digital fingerprint filtering, a strategy employed by Takedown Piracy, YouTube and other online spaces, all intended to prevent copyrighted materials from being uploaded by content pirates and other unauthorized parties.
Here’s how the “hashing” system works
If there’s an image you’re worried about, according to Facebook, you should contact its partner for the trial. Each test space has its own. In the U.K., for instance, it’s the Revenge Porn Helpline. Staff there will then get in touch with Facebook, and you’ll get sent a link to upload the concerning photo. (Or, let’s be real: photos.)
According to the BBC, Facebook stated that photos will only be seen by “a very small group of about five specially trained reviewers.” Reviewers will then give the photo a unique digital fingerprint code. This is called “hashing.”
The original photos will notbe stored, but the hashing code will. If anyone tries to upload the same photo, the code will be recognized and blocked before it appears on Facebook, Insta and/or Messenger.
Sounds reasonable in principle, but I’m still meh in reality.
Unlike YouTube trying to keep Hollywood films or premium television from being displayed on its platform, the sensitive and personal nature of intimate and/or explicit materials may cause users to be hesitant – and I wouldn’t argue that to the contrary. Handing over such images as a prophylactic may sound tempting to people faced with intractable circumstances, but handing over anything to Facebook these days – much less naked stuff – seems risky in of itself.
This initiative may be a long-overdue step to protect potential victims from this sort of online harassment, but it comes at a time when trust in the social network particularly low. Further, a very small group of about five specially trained reviewers. “About five”? All they have is five people doing this? And specially trained how? Who’s training them?
Right off, things are sounding especially thrown together in multiple ways. So no Mark, I will not be sending n00ds, no matter how much sense your program may make in every other context.
Image via iStock.
