Occupy with makeup and thwart facial recognition software.

[backscatter712]

Since the pigs seem to be all about mass-surveillance, let's fuck with them.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/15/student-thwarts-face-detection-software-with-cv-dazzle-makeup/

Not interested in having yourself automatically identified in photos across the internet? Then you might want to take a cue from Adam Ant (or Blade Runner's Pris, if you prefer), as Adam Harvey, a student in NYU's Interactive Telecommunication Program, has discovered that some over the top face makeup applied in just the right way can thwart most facial recognition software. Dubbed CV Dazzle (after the Dazzle camouflage used in World War I), the makeup works simply by enhancing areas of the face that you otherwise wouldn't ordinarily enhance -- so instead of applying the makeup around your eyes, you'd apply some on your cheeks and effectively "invert" that area. According to Harvey, that method is effective at blocking the face recognition used by Facebook, Picasa and Flickr -- and it doesn't simply cause some mild confusion, it actually prevents the software from detecting any face at all. Head on past the break for a quick video.

Sounds like fun!

[Stephanie Kopf]

1. Face Recognition

DEFINITELY not interested. Hear, hear!

[annabanana]

2. Beginning to feel like we will ALL

need this info before too long.

[Politicalboi]

3. Does it wash off with

Pepper spray?

[just1voice]

4. That's a totally cool and simple idea

I love it when people come up with stuff like this, it shows true human ingenuity.

[immoderate]

5. Looks like it could be done with stickers.

At least until v. 2.0 comes out!


--imm

[zipplewrath]

6. Or use glasses

Large, partially shaded sunglasses or the equivalent will do alot. They key on a few specific features, distance between the eyes being one. I suspect some nose paint (SPF 50) on only one side would confuse it a bit too.

Truth is, a good hat makes it hard to get "clear shots" of the face anyway.

[backscatter712]

9. Or a Guy Fawkes mask...

IIRC, a lot of facial recognition software knows how to deal with glasses, beards/moustaches & hats.

But they haven't really been set up to deal with dazzle camouflage.

I'll bet painting my face with zebra stripes would be decently effective.

[hootinholler]

7. Hmmm the face could still be manually adjusted to help the recognition

But that would be a big pain in the ass to scale.

The scan could be sectioned and improved but that would take some development.

[pinboy3niner]

10. Yeah, but if they adjust your face...

...will what Mom always told me still apply? "It'll stay like that, young man!"

[hootinholler]

11. In the old days when authorities adjusted your face

They didn't mean retouching photos.

But you knew that.

My mom always told me the same thing.

[Leopolds Ghost]

8. This is why I don't like Facebook. <-- Huh, figure that. name