If you’ve followed the news lately, you may have already heard about Clearview AI -- the shadowy start-up company that’s harvesting billions of online photos and social media profiles (probably including yours!) to create the world’s most powerful facial recognition technology.
By feeding an algorithm with this massive pool of facial images, Clearview AI helps their customers -- anyone from law enforcement officials to big box retailers -- figure out who you are just by uploading a picture.
That’s a scary invasion of your personal privacy, and it’s also made Clearview AI a target. Now that they’ve suffered their own data breach, Clearview AI has had their privacy invaded, too.
With Confidently Delete, you can remove yourself from Clearview AI’s database, and keep hundreds of other businesses from selling your personal data, too.
Quick hit:
On February 26th, the Daily Beast reported that Clearview AI suffered a data breach. Official statements from Clearview AI say that the unauthorized “intruder” gained access to Clearview AI’s client list, but not the full database of images.
The immediate effect of the data breach is limited to the 2,900 organizations that directly use Clearview AI’s software. But since those organizations include big box retailers like Walmart and Best Buy, law enforcement agencies like the FBI and ICE, and other businesses from 27 countries, this data breach says a lot about Clearview AI’s flimsy grip on their data.
If they’re this careless with their own proprietary data, how careless do you think they’ll be with your personal data that they’ve scooped up from the web?
Our take:
While the idea of helping law enforcement solve more serious crimes is a noble one, we have real privacy concerns about Clearview AI's service -- especially because it’s clear that Clearview AI doesn’t intend on sticking with their promise that their tool “will not be public.” Since there's no restriction on how Clearview AI’s facial recognition database can be used, they’ve opened the opportunity for bad actors to use their tools.
Well here’s some good news: You can protect yourself right now.
- If you live in California or the European Union, you can manually remove yourself from Clearview AI’s image database by clicking here.
- Or, subscribe to Confidently Delete today. We’ll remove your photos from Clearview AI’s database, and we’ll also delete your personal information from the databases of 60+ data brokers, to help you take control of your data across the internet.
This data breach isn’t one you should overlook.
Have other thoughts or feedback? Head over to the Confidently Facebook page to leave a comment on our recent MGM breach post.
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