Youtube's Patent for Facial Recognition in Videos

A recent patent submitted by Google suggests facial recognition in Youtube videos. Here is a description of how Google plans to accomplish this:

In one embodiment, a method of identifying faces in a video includes the stages of: generating face tracks from input video streams; selecting key face images for each face track; clustering the face tracks to generate face clusters; creating face models from the face clusters; and correlating face models with a face model database. In another embodiment, a system for identifying faces in a video includes a face model database having face entries with face models and corresponding names, and a video face identifier module. In yet another embodiment, the system for identifying faces in a video can also have a face model generator.

The patent was submitted on July 2008 and accepted on July 2012. By knowing what a subject looks like from various angles, Google could then attach a name to a face whenever it shows up in a clip. This technology can be combined with Google's Augmented Reality Glass to help you recognize everybody by wearing those glasses!.

However, such new technologies raise the ever-present concern of Internet privacy because that makes the Internet able to track, locate or recognize its users without their knowledge or permission. Let us know, by commenting below, whether or not we should be concerned as users (and/or producers) of those technologies.

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