Tool shifts from scam ads to fake accounts

Meta is rolling out its celebrity facial-recognition checks for Facebook users in the EU and UK, expanding beyond last year’s trials aimed at spotting scam ads with fake endorsements. The system will flag likely impostor accounts for review and takedown. Instagram is slated to follow after the Facebook launch. Meta says the expansion targets fraud and brand abuse affecting public figures, while offering new channels for rights holders to report misuse.

Privacy, regulation and rollout

The move arrives as platforms face stricter enforcement under European rules on identity fraud and deepfakes. Meta says the tool is opt-in for participating rights holders and is designed to comply with regional data protection standards. Civil society groups will assess whether the detection process is transparent and whether appeals are available for mistaken flags. The company plans broader anti-scam measures tied to account recovery and user education.