The real world is about to become a much more connected place. Utilizing some of the most accurate facial recognition software in the world, NameTag can spot a face using Google Glass’ camera, send it wirelessly to a server, compare it to millions of records, and in seconds return a match complete with a name, additional photos, and social media profiles.
FacialNetwork.com, the developer of NameTag, is also currently creating technology to allow the scanning of profile photos from dating sites such as PlentyOfFish.com, OkCupid.com, and Match.com. The technology will allow users to scan photos against the more than 450,000 entries in the National Sex Offender Registry and other criminal databases.
“I believe that this will make online dating and offline social interactions much safer and give us a far better understanding of the people around us,” said NameTag’s creator, Kevin Alan Tussy. “It’s much easier to meet interesting new people when we can simply look at someone, see their Facebook, review their LinkedIn page or maybe even see their dating site profile. Often we were interacting with people blindly or not interacting at all. NameTag on Google Glass can change all that.”
Critics argue this technology can be used in reverse. It will give stalkers, sex predators, and rapists an easier way to pick their victims, making the stalking process a lot easier. Experts say any photo or piece of information that is linked to any type of Google product such as, Google+, Blogger, Gmail, YouTube, just to name a few, can be detected by the data base. It will not only detect an individual persons information, it will also detect a person’s photo linked to the accounts of friend’s or other associates, therefore giving a person access to information they may not have otherwise located. It links by name as well as photo recognition.
If you Goolge a person’s name, it will return results on every account that is linked to that name as well as any page or profile is has been shared on or associated with.
Tussy said social media will no longer be limited to the screens of desktops, tablets, and smartphones. With the NameTag app running on Google Glass, a user could 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.
Tussy explains, “People will soon be able to login to www.NameTag.ws and choose whether or not they want their name and information displayed to others. It’s not about invading anyone’s privacy; 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 only seen in social situations.”
Tussy also claimed NameTag could make the big, anonymous world we live in as friendly as a small town.
NameTag is currently available on Glass for Beta testers and expects its website and app to launch in sometime in 2014. They hope it can be officially available to Google Glass users as well.
Google has announced that facial recognition will not yet be supported for Glass; undoubtedly due to pressure from privacy groups, but FacialNetwork.com is convinced Google will eventually reconsider.
What do you think? Do you think the technology is creepy and dangerous, or will you give it a chance? Leave your comments below.
NameTag and Google Glass facial recognition, a sex predator’s and rapist’s dream added by Ocala Post on February 6, 2014
Ocala, Florida — A three car pileup in Ocala shut down southbound lanes on I-75 just south of US 27 causing a big mess Sunday morning.
A 2006 Ford F250 pick-up truck was traveling on the southbound side of I-75 in the outside lane when the truck experienced an equipment malfunction. The driver of the pick-up, Michael R. Leach of Jacksonville lost control of the truck which was carrying a trailer loaded with wooden crates. Leach exited the vehicle and attempted to warn other motorists of the debris.
Edward L. Farmer of Ocala was traveling southbound in the center lane on I-75 in his 2010 Acura. Farmer was unable to avoid the collision and struck the trailer. He exited his vehicle and moved to the shoulder of the highway.
A few minutes later a 1996 Peterbilt semi was traveling south in the outside lane driven by Freddie J. Melson of Kentucky. Spotting the pickups headlights on the Westside of the highway, Melson relized something was wrong and moved over to the center lane, unaware of the Acura and wooden crates. The semi then struck the rear of the Acura, destroying the car.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, there were no injuries involved in the crash and no citations were issued.
All three lanes of southbound I-75 were shut down for about 30 minutes. One lane was opened a short while later allowing traffic through. The entire scene was cleared up by 11:30 a.m.