Facebook is Deploying Machine Learning to Combat ‘Revenge Porn’

• Facebook is trying to help users who have their private images or videos shared without consent using new tools.
• A new prevention tool will be available soon that will allow users to upload photos they do not want to be shared on the social media platform.
• Facebook has also launched a new website called 'Not Without My Consent' to help victims of 'revenge porn.'

A lot of internet users share intimate photos or videos of themselves with people they are attached to, but it also means that there is a risk of the photos or videos being shared without consent. Users who receive such photos can use them to extort, humiliate or shame the senders, with the iCloud leak being the most notable example. Facebook is trying to help victims of 'revenge porn' to protect themselves and even prevent instances of private photos being shared without permission.

Facebook has decided to approach the problem in three simple steps. It will build accessible tools that will help victims report violations, develop prevention tools which could block users from sharing certain images and finally, offer victims the power to feel safe. The company’s research has concluded that the current reporting tools are not enough and automated responses are not good enough to ease the trauma faced by victims. The lack of personalized responses is also something the social media platform is looking into.

An all-new proactive reporting tool will be built with the help of international safety organizations. Users can upload images that they do not want to be shared on the platform as a safeguard from future uploads. Even though the idea of such a tool has received some criticism, Facebook will be going ahead with the machine learning-based tool.

Victims interviewed by Facebook stated that more information and resources are something they want which led to the creation of 'Not Without My Consent'. The new platform by Facebook was launched today, and it specifically caters to victims who need support. Even non-victims can also submit reports if they spot instances of private images being leaked on the social media platform.

What do you think about Facebook’s steps towards dealing with unsolicited image sharing on the platform? Let us know in the comments below and feel free to share your thoughts on our socials as well, on Facebook and Twitter.