Secret surveillance software created by a former Israeli intelligence officer is harvesting Facebook photos.

The firm behind it is taking profile images from the social network, YouTube and other sites to build a huge facial recognition database.

Its creators say the software could lead to the identification of terror suspects, captured in promotional and other material posted online.

News of the controversial service is causing alarm among privacy activists as Facebook scrambles to deal with its ongoing data scandal.

It was revealed last month the company shared the private data of up to 87 million users with the political consultancy firm Cambridge Analytica.

Face-Int is now owned by analytics firm Verint, who acquired it in 2017 from creators Terrogence, a surveillance company founded by onetime Israeli secret agent Shai Arbel.