The new system requires users to upload a selfie that clearly shows their face
Facebook is threatening to lock users out of their accounts unless they upload a 'clear' photo of their face.
The new identity verification system is the social network's latest attempt to curb the spread of artificially intelligent "bots" - software applications that run automated tasks over the internet.
It is not clear when Facebook started using the identity verification system, or how broadly it has been rolled out, but some users reported seeing the message as far back as April 2017 .
The spokesperson said the photo test was just one of several methods - both automated and manual - used to detect suspicious activity on the social network.
The photo test is intended to help Facebook "catch suspicious activity at various points of interaction on the site", a spokesperson for the company told Wired magazine .
Once the photo has been checked, it will be permanently deleted from Facebook's servers, according to a screenshot of the identity test shared on Twitter on Tuesday.
The new system requires users to upload a photo of themselves that clearly shows their face, to prove they are who they say they are.
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