Crumb
c/privacy · by solrize@lemmy.ml · 125d

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

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/03/okcupid-match-pay-no-fine-for-sharing-user-photos-with-facial-recognition-firm/

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.

461 points · 45 comments · view on lemmy.world

45 Comments

orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 92 pts · 125d (5 replies)

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!

moistclump@lemmy.world · 34 pts · 125d

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

Fredselfish@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 124d

Me too and haven't used it in 13 years.

quick_snail@feddit.nl · 2 pts · 123d (2 replies)

Okc deletes inactive accounts, so you're probably fine

orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 6 pts · 123d

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.

teyrnon@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 123d

Sweet summer child...

tal@lemmy.today · 52 pts · 125d (8 replies)

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.

LurkingLuddite@piefed.social · 7 pts · 125d (6 replies)

Oh shit ... OH SHIT!

... I've lost my surprise picachu pic...

dalekcaan@feddit.nl · 11 pts · 125d (5 replies)

Here, you can borrow mine

W98BSoD@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 7 pts · 124d (4 replies)

Now with more pixels!

moakley@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 124d (3 replies)

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

W98BSoD@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 124d (2 replies)

Zink@programming.dev · 1 pts · 123d (1 reply)

needs more jpeg though

W98BSoD@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 123d

moistclump@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 125d

Why’s this feel illegal. Is this illegal?

sexy_peach@feddit.org · 34 pts · 125d (4 replies)

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

Thorned_Rose@sh.itjust.works · 14 pts · 125d (1 reply)

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.

sexy_peach@feddit.org · 9 pts · 125d

Never say never but yes, most bad guys in history didn't get punished

end_stage_ligma@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 123d (1 reply)

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

Spacehooks@reddthat.com · 2 pts · 122d

So metal I love it.

Treczoks@lemmy.world · 25 pts · 125d (4 replies)

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

teyrnon@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 123d

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.

quick_snail@feddit.nl · 1 pts · 123d (2 replies)

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..

Treczoks@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 123d (1 reply)

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

quick_snail@feddit.nl · 2 pts · 122d

I have. 99% of them are a "no" within 5 minutes.

quick_snail@feddit.nl · 24 pts · 123d (2 replies)

an incident from 2014

Jesus they fucked us a long time ago

teyrnon@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 123d (1 reply)

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.

quick_snail@feddit.nl · 5 pts · 123d

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

MrSulu@lemmy.ml · 10 pts · 125d (3 replies)

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.

tal@lemmy.today · 5 pts · 125d (2 replies)

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

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

MrSulu@lemmy.ml · -1 pts · 125d (1 reply)

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

titanicx@lemmy.zip · 0 pts · 124d

That's all idiotic statement.

quick_snail@feddit.nl · 5 pts · 123d

OkCupid, which was purchased by Match.com in 2011

Ah, that explains why they went to shit

quick_snail@feddit.nl · 4 pts · 123d

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

Avicenna@programming.dev · 4 pts · 123d

there goes your photos for making AI porn, gg

obey@lemmy.wtf · 4 pts · 124d

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

jaybone@lemmy.zip · 2 pts · 125d

DOGE and Big Balls have this one covered.

quick_snail@feddit.nl · 1 pts · 123d

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...

quick_snail@feddit.nl · 1 pts · 123d (3 replies)

And now they can facially recognize all the gays.

This will go well /s

teyrnon@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 123d (2 replies)

Ha, everyone. Not the gays in particular, everyone.

quick_snail@feddit.nl · 0 pts · 123d (1 reply)

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

teyrnon@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 123d

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.

elucubra@sopuli.xyz · -6 pts · 125d (3 replies)

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.

mimavox@piefed.social · 7 pts · 124d

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

basilisa@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 4 pts · 124d
[ removed ]
quick_snail@feddit.nl · 1 pts · 123d

Clearwater AI says yes