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Facial recognition to make smart glasses even more of a privacy nightmare
In the latest Watch Dogs video game, the protagonists have a wealth of technology available at the push of a button. They can quickly scan people around them through a mobile phone. This brings up details like their name, occupation and personality traits.
That might seem like the conjurings of an over-active imagination, but Watch Dogs has always been somewhat rooted in reality. In fact, the first game in the series drew a lot of inspiration from the real world’s devasting Stuxnet virus.
Think we are still years away from the same technology as in Watch Dogs? Think again. The tech already exists, and you’ll never know if you have been captured by it. Read on to see how smart glasses with facial recognition technology could be a privacy nightmare.
Here’s the backstory
If the name ClearView AI rings a bell, it should. The company has been at the center of many privacy concerns. Thrust into the spotlight in 2020, a New York Times report revealed that law enforcement agencies have access to ClearView’s AI facial recognition system.
Has your local police department used facial recognition software? Tap or click here to check this database and find out.
While some agencies have solved crimes using the technology, there are fears that it could soon become available to the public. The biggest concern is how the technology works and the little information it needs to get results.
The tech is so powerful that it can identify a person from a single photograph. It can also scan government databases to gather relevant information.
Unfortunately, with many public record photos like licenses and passports available, it is only a matter of time for people to use it for nefarious purposes. The FBI has a database of over 700 million photos.
But the technology is now moving in even more dangerous territory. The New York Times recently revealed that ClearView AI signed a $50,000 contract with the U.S Air Force Research Laboratory to incorporate the tech into augmented reality glasses.
The intent is to increase security around airfields and military bases by having officers wear augmented reality glasses that could, in theory, quickly scan nearby faces for identification. However, the research lab promptly pointed out that no devices were delivered with the contract.
The department stressed that the collaboration with ClearView AI is for the “scientific and technical merit and feasibility” of such smart glasses.
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Remember Google Glass? This, let’s say unique, introduction to smart eyewear was supposed to change the tech world as we knew it. And when it was finally made available to the masses in 2014, it certainly made headlines … but not in the way Google had hoped.
👓 Privacy nightmare: Two Harvard students used Meta’s smart glasses to create a tool that identifies any stranger walking by and pulls up their personal info. It scrapes the web to find where that person’s face appears, grabs their name, and digs up details like their home address, phone number and occupation. This is terrifying in the wrong (or any) hands.
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We love it when the Consumer Electronics Show rolls around. There are always so many wacky, interesting and innovative products unveiled during this event. During CES 2020, we saw tons of awesome and strange new products.
Can these smart glasses tell you if someone has COVID-19?
Everyone is worried about catching the coronavirus and looking for ways to avoid it. Beyond washing your hands constantly, there are some other things you can do that will help.
For one, when you order groceries or supplies to be delivered you should always disinfect the packages as soon as they arrive. Tap or click here to find out how to place orders safely and sanitize deliveries.