Kris Lamoureux

2016-09-14 21:06:46 UTC

“what happened in 2013 would not have been possible without free software. I did not use Windows machines when I was in my operational phase because I couldn't trust them. Not because I knew that there was a particular backdoor or anything like that but because I couldn't be sure.” - Edward Snowden, LibrePlanet 2016 #freedom #politics #freesoftware #surveillance #snowden

Libreplanet 2016: The Last Lighthouse — GNU MediaGoblin

rollitup

2016-05-14 02:34:50 UTC

Privacy Visor thwarts facial-recognition tech

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With improvements in facial-recognition technology and the increasing popularity of smartphones, the threat to one’s privacy unexpectedly posed by random Internet photos posted by strangers is growing day by day.

To protect against unwanted scrutiny, trading company Nissey Corp., based in Sabae, Fukui Prefecture, has developed a special visor that thwarts electronic facial recognition.

The Privacy Visor consists of a titanium glasses frame with a mesh-like screen one can see through.

Because facial-recognition technology analyzes the shadow patterns around one’s eyes, the design of the visor prevents programs from doing that by reflecting light to those areas, altering the shadows.

It’s not intended to be worn in all situations, however.

“Since the view might not be clear, driving or riding bicycles must be avoided,” when wearing the visor, a Nissey spokesman warned.

The glasses were jointly developed with the National Institute of Informatics, a research institute dedicated to information technology.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/05/13/national/privacy-glasses-thwart-face-recognition-tech/

#facial-recognition #privacy-visor #surveillance #technology #privacy