Facebook is open-sourcing its technology that detects abusive media

It seems Facebook wants help other platforms identify and stop the spread of harmful content online. The company on Thursday announced that it is open-sourcing two of its own technologies designed to “detect identical and nearly identical photos and videos”.

This means that other social media platforms can now use Facebook’s tech to spot media that could represent harmful content like terrorist propaganda or child abuse, and subsequently have them removed from the online space.

“These algorithms will be open-sourced on GitHub so our industry partners, smaller developers and non-profits can use them to more easily identify abusive content,” Facebook explained in a blog post.

According to the company, the move is part of “an industry-wide commitment to building a safer internet”.

Facebook, at least since the Cambridge Analytica fiasco of 2018, has hammered home its attempts to reduce abusive content on its platform.

Feature image: Facebook