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privacy·Privacybysolrize

OkCupid gave 3 million dating-app photos to facial recognition firm, FTC says

The FTC said that “OkCupid provided the third party with access to nearly three million OkCupid user photos as well as location and other information without placing any formal or contractual restrictions on how the information could be used.” OkCupid “did not inform consumers or give them the chance to opt out of such sharing,” the FTC said.

OkCupid gave 3 million dating-app photos to facial recognition firm, FTC sayshttps://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/03/okcupid-match-pay-no-fine-for-sharing-user-photos-with-facial-recognition-firm/Open linkView original on lemmy.ml
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Comments45
ORbituary
lemmy.dbzer0.com

When a threat actor steals your data from a company they're obligated to tell you. When a company sells your data, you find out like this.

I haven't used OKC in over 10 years. Am I affected? Is it new accounts? Wtf.

Edit: NOICE!

92
moistclumpreply
lemmy.world

You find out like this… if you manage to find out at all. I’m not sure these companies are thinking twice about it.

34
ORbituaryreply
lemmy.dbzer0.com

Hahaha! Companies keep data. FB probably has all my data from before I wiped my accounts in 2017. I am not hopeful that any company will do the right thing.

6
tal
lemmy.today

Yeah, that's pretty sketchy. It's not just that the OkCupid users didn't consent, but that on top of that, it's questionable that they were even acting in OkCupid's interests, which they are supposed to be doing.

In September 2014, the CEO of Clarifai, Inc. e-mailed one of OkCupid’s founders requesting that Humor Rainbow give Clarifai, Inc. (i.e., the Data Recipient) access to large datasets of OkCupid photos. Despite not having any business relationship with Humor Rainbow, the Data Recipient sought Humor Rainbow’s assistance because each of OkCupid’s founders, including Humor Rainbow’s President and Match Group, LLC’s CEO, were financially invested in the Data Recipient.

In response to this request, Humor Rainbow gave the Data Recipient access to nearly three million OkCupid user photos. Humor Rainbow’s President and Chief Technology Officer were directly involved in facilitating the data transfer. In addition to user photos, Humor Rainbow shared other personal data with the Data Recipient, including each user’s demographic and location information.

Humor Rainbow never executed a formal agreement or set forth restrictions governing the Data Recipient’s access to, or use of, the OkCupid user data. The Data Recipient did not pay for the data and never provided any services to Humor Rainbow or on behalf of OkCupid.

That is, that sounds like they were basically using substantial amounts of company assets to benefit themselves rather than the company that they were responsible to.

52
moakleyreply
lemmy.world

Do you have one with fewer pixels? I had a big breakfast.

4
sexy_peach
feddit.org

I want to see the world where all the data broker and seller types and companies are prosecuted and get hard punishments. Some need to be shut down, others restructured so they can't do it again, some CEOs probably need to be jailed

34
Thorned_Rosereply
sh.itjust.works

That'll never happen as long as politicians still get bribes lobby money and governments/law enforcement buy data to circumvent legal protections like warrants.

14
End-Stage-Ligmareply
lemmy.world

Start training. Every time I do lat pulldowns I imagine I am resetting the guillotine for the next corpocunt.

3
Treczoks
lemmy.world

Just another reason why you don't provide online platforms with such pictures.

25
teyrnonreply
sh.itjust.works

Indeed, we need a movement to withdraw from the internet with all of our personal details, and to reject it entirely if the government forces it.

I am serious, we didn't have the internet when I was growing up, and everything worked better than now. We were happier too. The internet has proven to be cancer on society.

2
quick_snailreply
feddit.nl

For Facebook, sure

But for a dating profile, if you don't provide a photo of your face, you're not gonna get any dates..

1
Treczoksreply
lemmy.world

Have you tried dating in the real world? There is no need to upload your face...

0
teyrnonreply
sh.itjust.works

Have they continued to do so? Ha ha, joking, of course they have, this is just what was leaked or whatever. Fucking Terms of Service, most of that used to be thrown out of court. But since the federalist society fucked our courts they now do, have long done, only totally official around idk 2010's or so when scotus endorsed employers and retailers making all employees or purchasers waive their rights to pursue redress in court to be employed or buy a product.

4
quick_snailreply
feddit.nl

The closing paragraph is pretty elucidating

“The FTC enforces the privacy promises that companies make,” said Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “We will investigate, and where appropriate, take action against companies that promise to safeguard your data but fail to follow through—even if that means we have to enforce our Civil Investigative Demands in court.

Translation: hire a lawyer to update your privacy policy to permit selling your user's data, and the FTC will let you do whatever you want

5
MrSulu
lemmy.ml

Again, another reason not to trust financial companies with our information. Somewhat similarly, in the UK restaurants are given food hygiene rating out of 5, updated frequently. You know where it's safer to eat. We desperately need the same structured system for online providers that hold information.

10
talreply
lemmy.today

Again, another reason not to trust financial companies with our information.

OkCupid isn't a financial company. They're a dating service.

5
MrSulureply
lemmy.ml

Yeah, they're good advertisers but run for finance.

-1
quick_snail
feddit.nl

OkCupid, which was purchased by Match.com in 2011

Ah, that explains why they went to shit

5
quick_snail
feddit.nl

The FTC said the data-sharing violated the OkCupid privacy policy,
...
OkCupid spokesperson said in a statement provided to Ars today. “The alleged conduct at issue does not reflect how OkCupid operates today. Over the years, we have further strengthened our privacy practices and data governance to ensure we meet the expectations of our users.”

Translation: we updated our privacy policy to indicate that we can sell our user's data to third parties, so now we can fuck our users without breaking laws

4
obey
lemmy.wtf

I guess similar goes with all AI gpt chats even if you delete or tick box not to improve models. I think they profile everything and connect to your virtual persona which creates amazing source of knowledge how to sell shit to you via ads. Or eventually enforce some sort of thought police. Terms and conditions do not apply to big american tech if government interests are involved

4
quick_snail
feddit.nl

And now they can facially recognize all the gays.

This will go well /s

1
quick_snailreply
feddit.nl

True, but their customers include military. So they'll probably be more focused on harming queer folks

0
teyrnonreply
sh.itjust.works

Fascists need lots of scapegoats for their piss poor handling of everything. This affects everyone, you better believe it, and these clowns sincerely want to target white leftists more than anything.

2
quick_snail
feddit.nl

Well, I guess it's good they deleted my account.

I was pretty pissed after all the work I had put into my account, only to find they purged old inactive accounts after some years.

Now I'm less pissed...

1
elucubra
sopuli.xyz

Well, it's not like you put your face in there to be hidden. Your photos are explicitely public. They just sold them an easier way for collecting the pics, but a simple scraper would have collected (and probably many are right now) the images.

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mimavoxreply
piefed.social

I don't think they're considered public if you have to log in to see them.

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You reached the end