Highlights:
- Facebook introduces an opt-in feature that analyzes users’ unpublished photos to suggest edits and collages.
- Photos remain private unless users choose to edit or share them.
- Meta claims the feature won’t use camera roll media for ad targeting.
Facebook’s new feature
Meta has rolled out an opt-in tool for Facebook users in the US and Canada that scans their phone’s camera roll to suggest edits, collages, and other creative options. Unlike past tools that only analyze uploaded content, this feature works on photos and videos that haven’t been posted yet.
Meta describes the feature as a way to surface “hidden gems” buried among screenshots, receipts, and casual snapshots. Users can then decide whether to save, share, or edit these suggested creations.
How your photos are handled
While Meta’s AI will examine your camera roll if you opt in, the company emphasizes that the media won’t be used to improve its AI unless you actively edit or share it. A Meta spokesperson clarified:
“The camera roll media uploaded by this feature to make suggestions won’t be used to improve AI at Meta. Only if you edit the suggestions with our AI tools or publish those suggestions to Facebook will improvements to AI at Meta be made.”
The photos are stored in Meta’s cloud, but the company says they won’t be used for advertising purposes.
Privacy implications
This move follows Meta’s earlier admission that it trained AI models on all public Facebook and Instagram posts from adult users dating back to 2007. The new feature raises fresh questions about how private content is processed, even under an opt-in system. Users may be wary of storing unposted photos in the cloud, especially when the tool promises ongoing access to camera roll content.
Facebook says the feature is designed for users who want to enhance their photos quickly without spending time creating edits manually. It is expected to roll out more broadly in the coming months.
What to consider before opting in
Experts advise users to carefully review privacy prompts and consider which photos they allow the feature to access. Even with safeguards in place, storing unpublished media in the cloud introduces new risks, and users should be aware of how their content could be processed.
