Facebook launches AI to help revenge p--n victims

The company claims that the machine learning tool will make sure the posts, commonly referred to as revenge p--n, are taken down saving the victim from having to report them.

Facebook users or victims of unauthorised uploads currently have to flag inappropriate pictures before content moderators will review them. The company has also suggested that users send their own intimate images to Facebook so that the service can identify any unauthorised uploads.

Many users are reluctant to share revealing photos or videos with the social-media giant, particularly given its history of privacy failures. This is the latest attempt to rid the platform of abusive content after coming under fire after moderators claimed they were developing post-traumatic stress disorder.

The company’s new machine learning tool is designed to find and flag the pictures automatically, then send them to humans to review. Social media sites across the board have struggled to monitor and contain abusive content users upload, from violent threats to inappropriate photos.

The company has faced harsh criticism for allowing offensive posts to stay up too long and sometimes for removing images with artistic or historical value. Facebook has said it’s been working on expanding its moderation efforts, and the company hopes its new technology will help catch some inappropriate posts.

The technology, which will be used across Facebook and Instagram, is trained using pictures that Facebook has previously confirmed were revenge p--n. It recognises a “nearly nude” photo, for example, a lingerie shot, coupled with derogatory text which would suggest someone uploaded the photo to embarrass or seek revenge on someone else.