Coming Soon: Facial Recognition

It’s been coming for awhile, and some -- no doubt -- have already had experience interacting with “facial recognition" systems -- whether they knew it or not.

I don’t believe I've had the pleasure yet, but it sure sounds like something darkly lurking in the not-too-distant future.

Facial recognition involves the use of special software to match a person’s face with a face photo on file somewhere.

The photos mainly come from state Department of Motor Vehicles files — those Driver’s License photo files stored across the nation.

Oh, really? You mean those same cringeworthy photos that almost always end up on your new license?

Yes. Sorry.

So who is interested in facial recognition?

Well, it’s being used as an unlocking mechanism by phone and computer companies. It’s also being used by airports to look for criminals and those on the “no fly” list.

It’s being used every day by law enforcement, and it’s being used by businesses as a security tool.

Most facial recognitions systems use algorithms that recognize certain points on a face, such as cheekbone structure, eye position and closeness, chins, foreheads — everything that can be recorded.

But there are many issues with it.

Like, so many…

First, these comparison photos are mostly culled from Driver’s License files. Those DL head shots can be REALLY BAD and in no way represent that magnificent specimen you REALLY ARE in-person — right?

We all change over time. How will a facial recog system account for major aging or illness changes? What about men who lose their hair or grow a big, crazy beard, or women constantly changing their look?

So how often would that photo database have to be updated to stay useful?

And let’s get real: In any racial culture, there are probably no more than about 50 really different faces. Maybe 100 if you get down to exact hair-and-eye matches, moles and freckles.

(I don’t want the above to sound racist, but I think you know what I mean…)

Take me, for example: I’m probably a fairly typical white man of a certain age with receding dark hair, brown eyes and a silver goatee.

There certainly can’t be too many guys like me out walking the streets, right?

In addition to all the potential picture-matching issues, the American Civil Liberties Union has declared facial recognition an unnecessary invasion of a person’s privacy.

In 2019, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol announced photos of travelers leaving and entering the country had been recently compromised by a data breach.

The ACLU quickly criticized the flaws in the CBP's facial recognition system.

“This breach comes just as CBP seeks to expand its massive face recognition apparatus and collection of sensitive information from travelers, including license plate information and social media identifiers,” said an ACLU spokesman.

“This incident further underscores the need to put the brakes on these efforts and for Congress to investigate the agency’s data practices.

“The best way to avoid breaches of sensitive personal data is not to collect and retain such data in the first place.”

Because those who track us already have our fingerprints, photos and DNA samples in the system — if we’ve ever had a run-in with the law.

Do they really need a facial recognition system on top of all that?

Facial recognition technology was first pioneered in the 1960s and has been steadily advancing with breakthroughs in computer tech since then.

So where is it going? No one quite knows yet.

But it doesn’t seem likely to be going away any time soon.

Face it.