A new app for Google Glass will allow users to scan and identify strangers using facial recognition technology. The app, called NameTag, will also require individuals to opt-out of a process that culls their information from public social media accounts.
“No longer will social media be limited to the screens of desktops, tablets and smartphones,” developer FacialNetwork boasted in a press release. “With the NameTag app running on Google Glass a user can simply glance at someone nearby and instantly see that person’s name, occupation and even visit their Facebook, Instagram or Twitter profiles in real-time.”
The creators see the device as something that will make it easier for like-minded individuals to break the ice, or as a way to avoid danger by identifying those with a criminal record.
“It’s not about invading anyone’s privacy,” NameTag creator Kevin Alan Tussy told the Independent. “It’s about connecting people that want to be connected. We will even allow users to have one profile that is seen during business hours and another that is seen in social situations. NameTag can make the big, anonymous world we live in as friendly as a small town.”
According to E! News, two million entries have already been uploaded to FacialNetwork.com. Google actually bans facial-recognition software from operating on Glass, but that doesn’t stop others from mining online information and having it readily available for its users…
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.