Soon, facial recognition software to identify people from online pics

London, Aug 23 (ANI): Netizens could soon be able to identify people from photographs posted on the internet, all thanks to a revolutionary software being developed by Face.com.

Face.com, the software company produced technology that can identify individuals on social networking sites and online galleries by comparing their image against a known picture of them.

This would mean that detailed profiles of individuals can be built up purely from online photographs and critics have said it could lead to exploitation by employers.

The software works by creating an algorithm of the face - a measurement of the arrangement of features including the eyes, nose and mouth.

The company says it is 90 per cent accurate when scanning typical images, which appear on social networking sites.

Face.com has previously limited the availability of the software over concerns about invasion of privacy.

But it has now released the Photo Finder software to developers building applications allowing people to search for anyone on the Internet.

"We have launched a service that allows developers to take our facial recognition technology and apply it immediately to their own applications," the Daily Mail quoted Gil Hirsch, chief executive of Face.com, as telling The Sunday Times:

"The technology is already being used by 5,000 developers. You can basically search for people in any photo.

"You could search for family members on Flickr, in newspapers, or in videos on YouTube - but it would take a lot of processing power," he added.

The use of facial detection technology has only been used by the UK Border Agency.

Supporters of the software, including the Red Cross, have said it could be used to track people lost in humanitarian disasters.

But there are strong concerns over the accuracy of the technology and its impact on privacy. (ANI)