Skip to main content

Browser extension unveils the hidden tags Facebook gives your photos

browser extension facebook photo tags hidden shows
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Every time you upload an image to Facebook, every pixel in the image is scanned using machine learning algorithms. These algorithms, in turn, predict what the subject matter of the image is and label it accordingly.

Say for example you upload a photo showing your dog and your friends playing at the beach. Facebook’s image recognition technology will likely scan the photo and apply the tags “dog,” “beach,” “sand,” and so on, even without the addition of any description on your end.

Recommended Videos

Normally, these tags are hidden from plain view, and are located inside the source code of the image link. You can find the tags if you know where to look, but it’s not exactly a quick and simple procedure.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Thankfully, a new extension for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox will do the dirty work for you and unveil the hidden tags Facebook doesn’t usually let you see with a simple hover of your cursor.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Called “Show Facebook Computer Vision Tags Extension,” the official name of the extension is quite the mouthful, but it appears that’s the most difficult component of the extension.

Once installed from the Google Chrome Web Store or the Mozilla Firefox Add-ons website, the extension immediately gets to work. When browsing through images, it will automatically show an overlay on the image with the tags it was automatically given.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

According to its creator, Adam Geitgey, the extension was made to inform users of exactly how much information companies are able to pull from your photographs.

Facebook isn’t alone in this either. A range of photo apps and services, including Apple Photos, Google Photos, Amazon, Flickr, and others, also use this technology.

To find out more information, head on over to the extension’s GitHub page.

Gannon Burgett
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Cyber Monday Sony camera deals: Save on camera body and lenses
sony-a9-best-mirrorless-camera

There are a lot of Cyber Monday deals that are turning out some impressive discounts right now. This is great news if you’re looking to save on a camera, as Cyber Monday camera deals have some of the best prices we’ve seen all year. This is especially true among Sony cameras, as some of its most popular cameras are seeing discounts. We’ve tracked down all of the best Cyber Monday Sony camera deals, and you can find them all below.
Our top pick: Sony ZV-1F vlogging camera — $398 $500 20% off

Vloggers and content creators regularly turn to the Sony ZV-1F for their camera needs. It can shoot in 4K resolution, which is pretty impressive for such a small-bodied camera. And while it’s designed with some features that make it nice for filming with, this is also a quality photography camera if you’re looking for something small and pocketable. You can grab the ZV-1F for under $400 with this Cyber Monday deal, which is a 20% discount and a savings of more than $100.

Read more
Best Cyber Monday camera deals: DSLR, action cameras, and more
Canon EOS R10 camera mirrorless with STM lens attached and flash up

Cyber Monday has come and gone, but many retailers still have excellent Cyber Monday deals. This makes right now your last chance to get some early holiday shopping done or to pick up some tech for yourself. Photographers should be glad to hear this, as there are a lot of Cyber Monday camera deals already available. We currently see models discounted from top brands like Canon, Nikon, Sony, and others. You can also check out these Cyber Monday laptop deals and Cyber Monday tablet deals so you can access content on the go.
Canon EOS R100 with 18-45mm lens — $350 $600 42% off

Canon is a favorite among photographers, and if you’re looking for an entry-level camera from the long-time camera maker, the EOS R100 offers up $250 in Cyber Monday savings here. The camera itself has a 24-megapixel sensor that can capture beautiful photos and 4K video. You’ll also get three free months of iCloud+ with this camera, and the Canon RF-S 18-45mm IS lens.

Read more
Don’t miss the chance to get this 128GB SD card for less than $100
The Lexar 128GB Professional 2000x UHS-II SDXC Memory Card on a white background.

Your new purchase from camera deals will need storage for photos and videos, but you can't buy just any SD card that you see online. It's highly recommended that you invest in a high-quality storage device like the Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II SDXC Memory Card, which you can currently get from B&H Photo Video with a $75 discount on its 128GB version that brings its price down from $170 originally to a more affordable $95. You may want to buy multiples of this SD card while it's available for less than $100, but you'll have to hurry because we're not sure how much time is remaining on this bargain.

Why you should buy the Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II SDXC Memory Card
More devices are using microSD cards for expanded storage, but according to our guide on finding the right memory card for your digital camera, most DSLR cameras and mirrorless cameras are still using SD cards like the Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II SDXC Memory Card. Lexar is one of the brands that we wouldn't hesitate to recommend to photographers, and this SD card's read speed of 300 MB/s and write speed of 260 MB/s will enable quick transfers and smooth shooting. Additionally, as an UHS-II card, you won't have a problem with advanced functions such as continuous shutter bursts, rapid shooting, and raw and JPEG captures.

Read more