Facebook could be snooping on EVERY photo stored on your phone — there are two settings that can stop it

a person checks their phone and laptop for photos

Without the correct settings disabled in your Facebook app, parent company Meta could be using a treasure trove of your photos for analysis with its Artificial Intelligence (AI) system

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PEXELS - PICTURE POSED BY MODEL | META | GB NEWS

Taylor Bushey

By Taylor Bushey


Published: 02/09/2025

- 10:50

Updated: 05/09/2025

- 13:52
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You may have unknowingly permitted Meta to access your photos

  • You should probably double-check your Facebook settings
  • Meta could be using all the photos on your device for AI analysis
  • The feature could be studying your pictures without you ever knowing
  • Users say the setting was enabled without an alert or notification
  • Photos are reportedly used for facial recognition, detect dates, and identify objects
  • No person is checking the photos, it's only Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems
  • Experts say this could have been an instance of implied consent, not explicit consent
  • Meta, which owns Facebook, has provided a way to disable the feature

You could be unknowingly allowing Facebook to examine every photo stored on your phone.

Researchers have revealed that parent company Meta has enabled a controversial new setting that permits its social media platform to analyse your private camera roll without clear notification.

Scared? We don't blame you.

If you use Facebook on any of your devices, these troubling new features could already be active. The new setting was reportedly switched on automatically for numerous users, who say they never received any alert or request for permission to start snooping on their complete camera roll.

This means Facebook may currently be processing images you've never intended to share online. That could include holiday snaps, family photos, screenshots and any other images saved on your device. It seems Meta is using the access to analyse and train up its Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems.

Woman opening phone to camera roll

The Facebook settings were reportedly switched on automatically for numerous users who say they never received any alert or request for permission

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PEXELS

To check whether you're impacted by the latest shake-up, you'll need to check two specific settings within the Facebook app. If they're active, then it could be trawling through your snaps without your knowledge.

These toggles, buried deep in the Privacy section of the settings menu, permit Facebook to perform what Meta calls "custom sharing suggestions" using images from your device's photo library. You'll find these options labelled as "Custom sharing suggestions from your camera roll" and "Get camera roll suggestions when you're browsing Facebook".

When enabled, they authorise Facebook to examine photos stored locally on your phone. What has concerned many is that these toggles have already been activated by default. Users claim no memory of approving these permissions or receiving any notification when the features were implemented.

What happens if the permissions aren't turned off?

When these settings are active, Facebook's technology examines your stored images to identify various elements. The system detects dates associated with your photos, recognises faces of individuals appearing in them, and identifies objects or locations within the images.

Screenshot of Meta camera roll settings on Facebook

Check the Settings menu within Facebook to see if the service is able to access your images

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META | GB NEWS

Your personal photo library becomes source material for Facebook's AI to generate automated suggestions. The platform uses this data to propose themed photo albums, create collages of related images, or compile "memories" posts marking anniversaries and special occasions.

The scanning also enables Facebook to offer AI-enhanced versions of your existing photos. These might include stylised edits or creative modifications based on patterns detected across your image collection.

While Meta states these suggestions remain private to you and won't be used for advertising purposes, the scanning still occurs on photos you may not have uploaded or shared publicly.

This isn't the first time Meta has been involved in controversy over user data.

The company's past incidents, including the Cambridge Analytica scandal, may have created distrust about how your personal information is handled.

Users don't seem to be happy about their camera rolls being analysed either. One posted on X, "Another reason to not trust anything 'Meta' or 'Facebook'."

Another user posted, "Now is the time to delete Facebook."

The current situation highlights consent issues. While you grant Facebook permission to access your camera roll for uploads, this doesn't automatically mean you've agreed to the comprehensive scanning of all stored images for unrelated features.


Privacy experts emphasise the distinction between implied and explicit consent. For instance, users technically grant Facebook access to their camera rolls to upload photos or videos. You might expect that camera access is limited to photos you actively choose to share, not your entire collection of private images.

There's also concern about potential future uses of this data. Although Meta currently states the information won't be used for advertising, policy changes could alter how your scanned photos are utilised down the line.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

Despite users finding their camera roll sharing suggestions automatically opted in, a Meta spokesperson told GB News this feature is opt-in only.

“We’re exploring ways to make content sharing easier for people on Facebook by testing suggestions of ready-to-share and curated content from a person's camera roll. These suggestions are opt-in only and only shown to you – unless you decide to share them – and can be turned off at any time," said the Meta spokesperson.

If you want to check and disable these settings, follow these steps:

  1. Open your Facebook app and ensure you're logged into your account
  2. Tap the menu icon in the top right corner, then navigate to Settings & Privacy > Settings. Scroll down until you locate Camera Roll Sharing Suggestions, and tap it
  3. You'll see a preferences page displaying multiple toggles
    Switch off both options: Custom Sharing Suggestions From Your Camera Roll and Get Camera Roll Suggestions When You're Browsing Facebook

If these toggles appear blue with the switch positioned right, they're currently active. Tap each toggle to move the switch left, turning them grey to deactivate the feature. Once disabled, Facebook will stop scanning your device's photo library for content suggestions.

GB News has reached out to Facebook for comment.

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