Facial Recognition Technology

As most of you all probably already know, Facebook is now using facial recognition technology, so does iPhoto for the Mac. If you didn't know, facial recognition software can use different nodes to map out what someone looks like and then perhaps perform an image search for somebodies face on the internet after that person has been tagged in a photo using the facial recognition software. In iphoto you can tag people on your own computer. Once that person has been tagged a few times the program should be able to run a search and find more photos and tag them.

Now obviously if older photos can be taken into a program like iphoto and still recognize faces, so the option for facial recognition from the camera is out, but maybe on the table, meanwhile it must be a programing feature in programs like iphoto and probably used by microsoft as well as facebook and others.

So anyways I have two things I am trying to find out.

The first is, can anybody actually find the programming in an application for the facial tracking software and perhaps show us how it works and what it does and where it originated?

The second is more complicated a question or rather a theory I have begun speculating about.

Do you remember when Obama met with Steve Jobs and also Zuckerman from Facebook? Was he trying to meet with them to implement the facial recognition software designed by the government for social media and computer applications? Is the government compiling a database, (they already have a DNA database) but for the purpose of having a facial recognition database, what would they use it for?

You know besides watching our every move like a good big brother?

Unfortunately, I would not doubt it. If you could pinpoint people by appearance and correlate that with things like Facebook, any of the group or social sites, maybe even un-shared photos stored on your hard drive, well you could effectively learn almost everything about them. Location, likes, friends, hangouts, activities often participated in, almost anything, all without having to put in the foot work to actually spy on you. Convenient.

I see a simple solution however, just make sure that every photo you take you cross your eyes, screw your face up, and stick out your tongue. You hear me ATS? Fight back!!!! Make funny faces for freedom!!!!

reply to post by Jermicide


Thats a good idea and another one I heard for facebook, is tag some stuffed animals, animals, bugs, trees and anything else you can think of with your name on it.

Me I just don't use the feature and also there is a way to opt out, but that does not mean that somebody else can not use the tagging feature to tag you and then heres my bigger concern, as far as I know the function to use that feature to look for people is not out there, which means facebook is keeping all that information to themselves and compiling a database. I wonder what they are going to use it for or give/sell it to?

reply to post by thehoneycomb


What would they use a database of searchable facial recognition for? Imagine this. Say there is a gov. sponsored assassination of some controversial political figure and they really need a patsy. Within 4 hours suddenly your face is all over TV accused of the act. HOW did this happen!?!?! Simple. Load the security tape from across the street from 15 mins before the act. Plug the faces into your Facebook supplied database search engine. More than likely powered by... you guessed it... Google. Now you have the personalities and habits of everyone that was in the vicinity moments before it all went down. And guess what, you just so happened to walk directly in front of that security camera on your way to the Starbucks. When you got there you popped open your laptop, logged onto ATS, and did a little ranting about said political figure while sipping your latte. Harmless right? Nope. Now you are patsy number one my friend with your face tagged so many times on all your friend's Facebook pages (you are such a likable person) they have managed to find you on numerous sites including ATS from where you posted a reply to that "take a funny pic of yourself" thread you seen a few months back when you were bored at 3 in the morning.

So, what happens? They piece together a bogus background story on you full of interesting little tid bits they picked up on you online and suddenly you are a disgruntled government employee that was layed off due to legislation passed by said assassinated politician, even though in reality you have worked for the same Burger King for the past 4 years and have got your ambitious sights set on that assistant managers position you are due for. By time you get home the FBI is already there waiting for you. They didn't even have to run your name against social security numbers, against last known addresses to find you either, it was much simpler. While compiling your false background they saw the photo of you in front of your new house helpfully tagged "my new pimped out crib" on Facebook, luckily for them in view of the street sign and house number.

BAM!!! Have fun being enemy number one pal...

On the bright side, you just got so many new Facebook friends and Twitter followers.

That class, is why facial recognition is scary, any questions?

reply to post by Jermicide


They have the location already embedded from any phone or camera with GPS.
They could also use it to find dirt on people they don't want getting into congress.

I think its more sinister then that though. Maybe to go with the red, blue and white stickers?

reply to post by thehoneycomb

In my neck of the Queensland woods, I call it Little Gumbieville for its IQ level, our local Transport Department office already has facial recognition cameras installed and operating for some time. Recently took my girly-monster in there to get her Learner's Permit.

When asked why it is being used they said to me, "So that teenagers can't send their friends in to do their test for them."



So I asked, "What other departments will this information be shared with? The Police?"

"No", replied the employee, "We delete each photo, except the one from when they pass their test. We don't pass this information on. The Licences all have smart chips in them now so the Police get their information from that, not us."



Problem is, I have to renew my licence next year.. and there is no option for the old photo for anyone who does not wish to use this new system.

Bigger problem is.. the government snuck this in. No warning, no informatiin at all. And no one is complaining about it except me.

reply to post by Tayesin


I remember all the video cameras going up in the UK in the 90's. Australia too?

I guess Im not surprised.

Everyone replace your facebook pic with that of Chuck Norris.
That ought to cause some fun with this technology!

Originally posted by thehoneycomb
reply to post by Jermicide

 

They have the location already embedded from any phone or camera with GPS.

This is true in most cases. People that choose to upload photos of themselves and their family on the internet can take preventive measures to remove the EXIF data that contains the GPS coordinates.

The most simple way is to save the photo in a format that does not support EXIF data, for example, .PNG

Which can be explained here

While the creators of the PNG format anticipated that metadata should be embedded with images, by the provision of allowing a single file to consist of several "chunks", there is yet no standard for embedding metadata in PNG image files. Specifically, PNG does not support more or less establishes tagsets such as EXIF, IPTC or DC.

reply to post by thehoneycomb




☜ Does this guy look like he has something to worry about?


Fear can be unhealthy.

The only power they have is in convincing you there are secrets to be hidden. Facial recognition is not a particularly complicated subject but its applications are many so it would not be surprising if the government has implemented some sort of library of faces.

www.abovetopsecret.com...


An interesting thought: Is the diversity of the human face affected by quantity? The answer is yes but I'll let you ponder its ramifications.

Originally posted by Jermicide

What would they use a database of searchable facial recognition for? Imagine this. Say there is a gov. sponsored assassination of some controversial political figure and they really need a patsy. Within 4 hours suddenly your face is all over TV accused of the act. HOW did this happen!?!?! Simple. Load the security tape from across the street from 15 mins before the act. Plug the faces into your Facebook supplied database search engine. More than likely powered by... you guessed it... Google. Now you have the personalities and habits of everyone that was in the vicinity moments before it all went down. And guess what, you just so happened to walk directly in front of that security camera on your way to the Starbucks. When you got there you popped open your laptop, logged onto ATS, and did a little ranting about said political figure while sipping your latte. Harmless right?

Not a Starbuck's latte, those things taste like elephant pi**.

Originally posted by Jermicide Nope.

You been there too, eh?

Originally posted by JermicideThat class, is why facial recognition is scary, any questions?

Is the cappuccino any better?