Human Rights Defenders NameTag Face Recognition Program Called Creepy



    The new NameTag smartphone app will allow you to check any passerby on social networks and dating sites. We saw the girl in the bar, pointed the camera - and found out the name and surname, age and where she is studying. Even more convenient if you have Google Glass points, then checking profiles is even easier.

    The official website says that the algorithm works if the object previously tied profiles from social networks to its photo, that is, as if voluntarily agreed to be verified. But the demo video shows that the program recognizes the faces of people who could not give consent in advance, including the faces of 450 thousand criminals from an open database of US sex offenders and other criminal databases.



    The application from FacialNetwork.com caused outrage among representatives of human rights organizations. They logically suggested that such programs could recognize the faces of passers-by without their permission, which would be a real nightmare from a privacy point of view. It will be possible to automatically recognize people with a criminal history, former criminals, married / unmarried / divorced women, people with a different sexual orientation, etc. (filtering by Facebook profiles).

    NameTag developers categorically reject the fears of human rights defenders. On the contrary, they believe that recognizing the faces of passers-by will make our lives more interesting: “I believe that it will make online dating and offline relationships much safer and will allow us to better understand the people around us,” says program author Kevin Alan Tussy. “It's much easier to meet interesting people just by looking around, see your Facebook profile, explore the LinkedIn page, and maybe your profile on a dating site.” Previously, we had to get to know people blindly or not at all. NameTag for Google Glass will change that. ”

    The technology clearly has great prospects. And no matter how human rights activists were indignant, and even if Google has so far banned such applications for Google Glass, technological progress cannot be stopped. And if a quick scan of millions of photos becomes technically possible, then there is no doubt that such applications will become popular. Moreover, face recognition programs are already in full swing in casinos and many stores for the automatic recognition of known scammers and thieves at the entrance to the institution.

    Currently, the closed beta version of NameTag for Google Glass has been released. Until the end of I quarter. In 2014, developers promise to release versions for Android and iOS.

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