Okcupid Settles Claims It Shared User Photos With A Facial Recognition Company

Dating app OkCupid agreed to settee claims from nan Federal Trade Commission that it deceived millions of users by sharing their photos pinch a third-party facial nickname institution without their consent.

OkCupid and genitor institution Match Group did not admit wrongdoing arsenic portion of nan settlement, but alternatively promised not to make akin alleged misrepresentations successful nan future. According to nan FTC complaint, aft facial nickname institution Clarifai reached retired to 1 of OkCupid’s founders successful 2014, nan app gave it entree to astir 3 cardinal OkCupid personification photos, alongside demographic and location information astir users. That entree violated OkCupid’s ain privateness policy, nan FTC alleged, since it didn’t springiness users a chance to opt retired of their information being shared.

After sharing nan data, OkCupid and Match later tried to obscure their narration pinch Clarifai erstwhile The New York Times reached retired astir it for a story, nan FTC alleged. Still, nan colony does not enforce penalties connected OkCupid aliases Match, nor straight reside nan information allegedly shared pinch Clarifai. The companies committedness not to misrepresent their information postulation and sharing policies successful nan future, and taxable to compliance monitoring, which could taxable them to further action if they’re recovered to break nan order, erstwhile approved by a court. FTC user protection bureau head Christopher Mufarrige said successful a connection that nan colony shows, “The FTC enforces nan privateness promises that companies make.”

OkCupid did not instantly supply a remark attributable to a named spokesperson. Match and Clarifai did not instantly respond to requests for comment.