Facial Recognition Software 101: Current Debates and How to Elude It

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Learn How Facial Recognition Software Works and How to Confuse It. The Current Debates Surrounding the Use of Facial Recognition Software

Facial recognition software is a relatively new technological development that is becoming adopted on a large scale by law enforcement agencies and national intelligence agencies worldwide.

Theoretically, the adoption of facial recognition software and other biometric identification methods could help identify attacks before they occur and generally lead to a faster capture of criminals. Practically, many citizens and digital privacy advocates are fighting back against the use of facial recognition software.

So why is facial recognition software such a charged topic?

To help anyone understand exactly why people don’t like it, I’ll first dive into the current debates surrounding it and on the main controversies about facial recognition software. Then, I’ll continue by explaining how the technology works and how you can confuse it or resist it.

While I wouldn’t encourage anyone to do anything illegal or resist legitimate info requirements made by public authorities, the truth is that facial recognition software is still, in many ways, a wild west. The laws are being debated and subject to change.

Innovators and authorities are still exploring what the technology can do and discover new functionalities. Meanwhile, the public tries to catch up and debate whether the functionality should be used in the first place.

Therefore, attempts to resist facial recognition software and to confuse it are a vital part of current negotiations and debates, in a new landscape where the right to a private life can’t be taken for granted anymore.

But before we dive in deep into the intricacies of facial recognition software, we need to look a bit to the history of developing facial recognition software.

A short history of facial recognition software:

* Mid-1960s: American mathematician Woodrow Wilson Bledsoe and his team develop a simple device which records facial features using a stylus and a tablet. His efforts helped pave the way towards modern facial recognition software and his intelligence team members are considered pioneers of AI and pattern recognition.
Between the 1980s and 1990s: MIT, Rhode Island, and Brown University scientists develop the technology further, leading to Eigenfaces. Eigenfaces are two-dimensional facial structures generated through algebraic formulae. They laid the foundation for contemporary facial recognition software.

* After 2001: The 9/11 terrorist attacks highlighted the need to strengthen border security with better personal identification, via facial recognition software. This led to a wide-scale adaptation of this software, which continues to be improved to this day. Applications of the software were quickly picked up by the commercial sector as well (see below).

* 2005: The first personal phone with facial recognition software is unveiled at the Security Show Japan. The technology was named OKAO Vision Face Recognition Sensor and it was developed by the OMRON Corporation.

* 2005 – present: Facial recognition software is increasingly adopted by most smartphones but also perfected for the use of law enforcement and military groups. Machine learning and AI are employed for taking its accuracy to new heights and to vary its applications.

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