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Google refuses to rule out face recognition technology despite privacy rows
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 1:42 PM on 21st May 2010
Google has refused to rule out extending controversial facial recognition technology, despite being hit by a storm of complaints over privacy.
The internet search giant already offers one facial recognition feature through its Picasa photo software, which scans your pictures and suggests matches with other pictures that may include the same people.
Google's CEO Eric Schmidt would not rule out a further roll-out, saying: 'It is important that we continue to innovate.'
Google already enables users to search through their photo albums using face recognition technology
However, he said the decision to introduce facial recognition on a wider basis would not be taken lightly.
'Facial recognition is a good example… anything we did in that area would be highly, highly planned, discussed and reviewed,' he told the Financial Times.
With facial recognition a face is detected and tagged by the user. It is then rotated so that the eyes are level and scaled to a uniform size and compared with all the other pictures on the user's database. The system then displays any close matches.
More...
There are fears this technology could be added to the Google Goggles tool, which was launched last year. This currently allows people to search for inanimate objects, like the Eiffel Tower, on the internet by taking a picture of it on a mobile phone.
However, if combined with facial recognition software, customers could use it to identify strangers on the street.
In theory this could make it very easy to track someone's private information down just by taking a picture of them.
Google's Picasa tool groups similar faces together. CEO Eric Schmidt said they would carefully consider whether to roll out face recognition further
When Goggles was launched in December 2009, spokesman Anthony House, said: 'We do have the relevant facial recognition technology at our disposal. But we haven't implemented this on Google Goggles because we want to consider the privacy implications and how this feature might be added responsibly.
'So if someone uploads a picture of a stranger on Goggles there is no process to identify them and the search will come up with "no matches found."
'We will have talks with privacy advocates and consumers before we consider any changes - it may be people want such a service, but we don't have a rigid timescale on when any decisions will be made.'
Google has recently been criticised about its attitude to privacy. Just this week the company admitted that its Street View cars had inadvertently collected browsing data from unsecured wireless networks.
The company also had to make hasty changes to its software after its Buzz communications tool revealed personal details of users without their permission.
Google facial recognition debate after goggles privacy controversy | Mail Online
I personally dont like this idea
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 1:42 PM on 21st May 2010
Google has refused to rule out extending controversial facial recognition technology, despite being hit by a storm of complaints over privacy.
The internet search giant already offers one facial recognition feature through its Picasa photo software, which scans your pictures and suggests matches with other pictures that may include the same people.
Google's CEO Eric Schmidt would not rule out a further roll-out, saying: 'It is important that we continue to innovate.'
However, he said the decision to introduce facial recognition on a wider basis would not be taken lightly.
'Facial recognition is a good example… anything we did in that area would be highly, highly planned, discussed and reviewed,' he told the Financial Times.
With facial recognition a face is detected and tagged by the user. It is then rotated so that the eyes are level and scaled to a uniform size and compared with all the other pictures on the user's database. The system then displays any close matches.
More...
There are fears this technology could be added to the Google Goggles tool, which was launched last year. This currently allows people to search for inanimate objects, like the Eiffel Tower, on the internet by taking a picture of it on a mobile phone.
However, if combined with facial recognition software, customers could use it to identify strangers on the street.
In theory this could make it very easy to track someone's private information down just by taking a picture of them.
When Goggles was launched in December 2009, spokesman Anthony House, said: 'We do have the relevant facial recognition technology at our disposal. But we haven't implemented this on Google Goggles because we want to consider the privacy implications and how this feature might be added responsibly.
'So if someone uploads a picture of a stranger on Goggles there is no process to identify them and the search will come up with "no matches found."
'We will have talks with privacy advocates and consumers before we consider any changes - it may be people want such a service, but we don't have a rigid timescale on when any decisions will be made.'
Google has recently been criticised about its attitude to privacy. Just this week the company admitted that its Street View cars had inadvertently collected browsing data from unsecured wireless networks.
The company also had to make hasty changes to its software after its Buzz communications tool revealed personal details of users without their permission.
Google facial recognition debate after goggles privacy controversy | Mail Online
I personally dont like this idea
