Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Facial recognition beats the Covid-mask challenge

Facial recognition beats the Covid-mask challenge

Anyone with a smartphone that uses facial recognition will know it does not really work with a mask on.

That can be frustrating - but although masks have undoubtedly thwarted the facial-recognition industry, the technology has also adapted.

It may sound strange but wearing a mask does not necessarily stop a computer from identifying someone.

And there are even examples of the pandemic being used as an excuse to use facial recognition.

Less accurate


Last year, as people began to increasingly wear masks around the world, the prevailing view was it represented a huge challenge to facial recognition.

It seemed obvious - algorithms designed to analyse faces would be less accurate if part of the face was concealed.

And studies backed this up.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) tested 89 commercial facial-recognition algorithms - and found a 5-50% error rate in matching faces with digitally applied masks to photos of the same person.

'That's Orwellian'


But some facial-recognition technologies still work pretty well on those wearing a mask.

In January, a US Department of Homeland Security "controlled-scenario test" found one with a 96% success rate - although the results "varied greatly between systems".

"Based on these results" the department said, "organisations that need to perform photo ID checks could potentially allow individuals to keep their masks on, thereby reducing the risk of Covid-19 infection."

And although some police forces are using facial recognition less - London's Metropolitan Police, for example, has not conducted a facial-recognition test for over a year - it is still being used, even, reportedly, at Black Lives Matter protests last summer.

"Even if the use of this technology is temporarily interrupted... that doesn't obviate the threat that this technology poses both in the short and the long term," Michael Kleinman, from Amnesty International, told BBC News.

"Anyone walking in front of a camera where police departments are running facial recognition - their face can be captured and they can be identified. That's Orwellian."

'Touchless experience'


In the private sector, it is harder to tell whether the use of facial recognition has decreased over the past year - there is no directory, no list of when and where it is used.

But on Monday, it was announced Disney World was to trial facial-recognition technology for a month.

Its system takes an image of a customer's face and converts it into a unique number, which is associated with the form of admission used for entry into the theme park.

The idea is to cut waiting times, with Disney saying it wants a more "touchless experience".


And crucially, the technology does not require guests to take off their masks.

Uncovered areas


Even before the pandemic, research had been under way on how facial recognition could work with masks.

In Japan, NEC had been working on a system for people who wear masks because of allergies.

And in January, it announced one it said was 99.9% accurate.

It works out whether someone is wearing a mask and then focuses on the uncovered areas, such as the eyes and forehead.

And the company wants to sell it for security checks in office buildings and other facilities.

"Touchless verification has become extremely important due to the impact of the coronavirus," NEC told Reuters.

So once again, the pandemic, rather than hindering facial recognition, is being used as a reason to use it.

"Early on in the pandemic, we thought one of the very few silver linings could be the decline in facial-recognition technologies - but we've absolutely found that it's the opposite," Ella Jakubowska a campaign officer at pressure group European Digital Rights, says.

"The pandemic has unfortunately provided cover for companies to push out to what are effectively mass-surveillance infrastructures, under the guise of public health.

"A lot of companies have seen it almost [as a] challenge to develop technologies that can even more incisively identify people in public."

Strict rules


It has also been announced facial recognition will be used at the Olympics, due to start this July in Japan.

It is not yet clear what for - but there will be strict rules restricting shouting and singing, and foreign visitors will be unable to attend.

Already, the technology had been used to check whether people were wearing masks at sporting events, the Japan Times reported.

Mark Zuckerberg showed a preview of Facebook's smart glasses, in 2017

Facebook too is reportedly considering building facial recognition into its upcoming smart glasses, despite privacy activists' concerns it could be used by stalkers.

Facial recognition remains hugely controversial - and those controversies will remain, whether or not masks are being worn.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
×