Identity by the Crowds

I was looking into several online identity management systems over the weekend and got derailed to another track. Many of these systems based their users identification on eMail-verification and complex passwords permutations. I thought to myself - why not using my Webcam or image related data as a step in the process.

I've checked some of my bookmarks for an old project I did a long time ago, trying to find some references and examples. I found some new links and ideas.
For example:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facial_recognition_system
• http://www.betaface.com/
• http://www.face-rec.org/
• http://www.myheritage.com/FP/Company/tryFaceRecognition.php
  
  

So far so good. There is a progress in the technology as well as in the related products and services.

Then I started wondering...

What would happen in case my face and my identity are being matched by the crowd?

Riya and Polar Rose Provide the capability to assign names (identities) to images/faces.

Riya:

Polar Rose:


Few questions came up:

• What would happen if, let say, 5-100 of my 'closest friends' decide to get a 'head start' and assign a different name to my public photos/face... "The community will moderate itself" is usually the answer...
  
• Can we use these techniques to recognize Avatars ( and is this the next step? :-) )
  
• (When) Can we expect ads based on face/item recognition?

From a product/service point of view, I would like to use these capabilities off-line (as well), so I could have some control over the identities associated with my photos and videos collections, before I upload them to the crowds...

E.T.

Technorati Tags video,face,riya, security, avatar,
security, Identity