Court Clears Path for Billion-Dollar Facial Recognition Lawsuit Against Facebook
A federal appeals court allows a massive class action lawsuit against Facebook to proceed over illegal biometric data collection. The ruling declares that creating face templates without consent violates user privacy.
A federal appeals court rejects Facebook's attempt to halt a class action lawsuit, leaving the company exposed to billions of dollars in potential damages. The lawsuit originates from 2015 when Illinois users accuse Facebook of violating the state's Biometric Information Privacy Act by automatically collecting and storing facial recognition data from photos without consent. The unanimous decision from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals confirms that developing face templates without permission invades an individual's private affairs and concrete interests.
The ACLU strongly supports the ruling, warning that unfettered face surveillance technology creates chilling potential for privacy violations at an unprecedented scale. The civil rights organization emphasizes that both corporations and government entities are now on notice about the unique risks this technology poses to people's privacy and safety. This legal setback for Facebook highlights the growing judicial pushback against unauthorized biometric tracking.
Despite not selling its facial recognition data directly to third parties, Facebook leverages its massive database of faces to help companies target specific populations and assist researchers in developing new services. Holding what many consider to be the world's largest database of faces gives Facebook a powerful tool to understand user preferences, target advertisements, and corner the market on identity verification across the web.