smile we want to sell you something …

The science fiction of the future is getting closer. You walk by a store and the large digital screen advertising products presents goods to you that are tailored to your age using facial recognition technology. This is here today, both Adidas and Kraft have plans for this type of digital ads. Read more at Forbes (http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2011/09/01/kraft-to-use-facial-recognition-technology-to-give-you-macaroni-recipes/).

Now what happens if this technology is connected to Facebook, so that they don’t need to guess how old you are based on how you look, but can see for a fact. Also that you have children, dogs, cats, and whatever more there is is glean, based upon how Facebook will organise unstructured data into a structured format so it is easy to link and process.

Now facial recognition technologies are also to deny access to casinos in Las Vegas. Now imagine if every club and bar could effectively do away with the traditional bouncer and instead implement this technology.

Previously I have talked a lot about storecards, RFID and how this type of invasion on privacy could make you vulnerable to tailored ads… although maybe you like this, it really depends on your viewpoint. However now, it really may not matter if you have a storecard, RFID, whatever, your face will reveal all, your FB account will feed the digital ads, and I guess you won’t have any say in this at all!

Facial recognition for driving license must undergo public hearing

The Department of Motor Vehicles recently proposed a $63 million contract with a company that uses facial-recognition software, which can detect whether a person photographed for a new driver’s license already has a license. The software allows the DMV to match a photograph with the entire DMV database of driver’s license pictures. This risk identified by the privacy group is of ‘mission creep’, that is this technology being used to identify persons in other situations, such as in a crowd.

This move has been blocked. Hence the DMV’s request to fast-track a new technology that the agency is seeking to deter identity theft, . The DMV sought permission from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign the contract as early as this week, without the scrutiny of public hearings. This is a victory for privacy-rights groups as this proposal will now have to undergo a public hearing.