Creepy photo-tagging tech slotted into Google+

[klr]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/12/19 ... cognition/

Creepy photo-tagging tech slotted into Google+
'Find my face' feature lands

By Kelly Fiveash • Get more from this author
Posted in Developer, 19th December 2011 14:36 GMT

Eric Schmidt may have been creeped out by the idea of using huge facial databases to identify individuals online, but that hasn't stopped Google from debuting its own version of the technology.

Google+, Mountain View's own take on social networking, is now loaded with a photo-tagging and "find my face" feature that punters must opt-in to use.

By default, the Chocolate Factory has switched off the "find my face in photos and prompt people I know to tag me" option, however, as soon as a user clicks on a photograph Google+ politely asks that individual to consider enabling the feature.

It also points out the user has total control over the "find my face" option.

In July, Google bought facial recognition outfit pittpatt, at which point it was clear that the company would eventually add a photo-tagging feature to Google+.

However, it's a move that appears to fly in the, er, face of Google chairman Schmidt, who in May this year indicated that the world's largest ad broker had no intention whatsoever of using such creepy tech in the firm's products.

But then, we suppose, seven months is a long time in the online world. Google has been closely watching the fallout from Facebook's botched attempt at stealthily folding facial recognition tech into its users' accounts. And it now better understands the softly softly catchy monkey approach is better than an iron fist when it comes to debuting features in Google+.

The company spectacularly failed to win over privacy advocates when it rolled out the nearly defunct Buzz, which was bolted onto Gmail accounts without first asking for permission from that particular userbase.

This year has proved extremely embarrassing for both Facebook and Google when it comes to butter-fingered handling of data online. The pair, now humiliatingly subjected to bi-annual privacy audits for the next 20 years in the US, are attempting to regain trust from their respective users.

It's unlikely that this means Facebook or Google will do less evil with the data they farm come 2012. But it does mean the companies are much more under the spotlight when it comes to herding identities on the interwebulator.

Now it's a question of being a little more creative with how to best use the tech stored in their gun rooms.

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

Pretty sure I've seen a similar feature in Picasa.

[klr]

Pretty sure I've seen a similar feature in Picasa.

Google bought out Picasa a few years ago, and added face recognition technology to it later. So yes, the tech. likely came from there.

I've never used Picasa, partly because of the latent suspicion that Google would eventually try to draw me in to something more sinister.

[Robert_S]

Time to find a new email.

Maintaining privacy should not be made more cumbersome than necessary. Non-evil corporations shouldn't even have to have that pointed out.

[klr]

Time to find a new email.

Maintaining privacy should not be made more cumbersome than necessary. Non-evil corporations shouldn't even have to have that pointed out.

I'll be keeping my Gmail (Google) personal account for now, although TBH I don't use it that much. For images, I am definitely sticking with Photobucket - even if it is the default photo sharing platform for Twitter.

[Robert_S]

I use Flickr, because it integrates nicely with my current photo organising software and I want people to see my photos.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Remind me, what is Google+?

[Robert_S]

Remind me, what is Google+?

Something that would still be growing organically if only it would not have been hyped so much.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Remind me, what is Google+?

Something that would still be growing organically if only it would not have been hyped so much.

Pot?

[Robert_S]

Remind me, what is Google+?

Something that would still be growing organically if only it would not have been hyped so much.

Pot?

Keep a lid on it!

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Remind me, what is Google+?

Something that would still be growing organically if only it would not have been hyped so much.

Pot?

Keep a lid on it!

And a nickel in the glovebox.

[Robert_S]

Remind me, what is Google+?

Something that would still be growing organically if only it would not have been hyped so much.

Pot?

Keep a lid on it!

And a nickel in the glovebox.

Shit! I left it in there again?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Don't worry, I burned the evidence.

[Robert_S]

Don't worry, I burned the evidence.

Time to spring for a vaporizer I think...

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Don't worry, I burned the evidence.

Time to spring for a vaporizer I think...

The very idea makes me gasp.