The feature was announced in December and has been available in the U.S., but now users across the globe are seeing the suggestions, said security firm Sophos on its Naked Security blog.
Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes confirmed that the new feature is active for some users in most countries around the world.
“When we announced this feature last December, we explained that we would test it, listen to feedback and iterate before rolling it out more broadly. We should have been more clear with people during the roll-out process when this became available to them,” he said in an e-mailed statement.
The company has a history of introducing new features without letting users know in advance. In most cases, initial criticism has died down after users adjust to the new settings, as with the Facebook profile redesign.
If you have the new feature and want to disable it here’s how to do it:
1. Click “Customize settings” in your account’s privacy settings.
2. Go to “Things others share”
3. Hit the “Edit Settings” button next to “Suggest photos of me to friends.”
4. Select “Disabled” from the drop-down menu.
YOUR TAKE: Will you use Facebook's new facial recognition feature?
When a friend uploads a photo of you, Facebook can now recognize your face. Is this a feature that you'll use, or one that you'll disable? As a user, are you impressed, bothered, or both? Give us your thoughts by using #FacialBook on Twitter and we'll post some responses right here.
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