Russian Face Recognition App Poses Threat to Privacy

A face recognition app in Russia is raising eyebrows as it is seen to invade online users' privacy. The app was actually launched two months ago, but is recently taking Russia by storm as it is proven to be an effective app in identifying people. It can also lead the dig into the identities of people being searched.

Dubbed as FindFace, the app is said to compare profile pictures of users on the social network site Vkontakte and is said to work with 70% reliability, The Guardian reported. With this relatively reliable app, anonymity could no longer be possible soon.

FindFace works by comparing the profile photos uploaded on Vkontakte and the actual photos of people to be searched. Vkontakte is a very popular social media network in Russia and currently has more than 200 million users. The fear of some users is the possibility that one can now track down a random person through social network just by using a photograph as a reference, The Guardian said in its new report.

Techspot reported that the said app already has half a million users who already did 3 million searches. The app is currently be used only in Russia.

FindFace app creators Alexander Kababoc and Artem Kukharenko was quoted in The Guardian saying that the app can enable a user to take a photo of someone on the street and examine him or her through a social network website.

Kabakov added that the app can also help users if they intend to look for a date. He said: "If you see someone you like, you can photograph them, find their identity, and then send them a friend request."

Asked about the privacy concerns, he said people will eventually get used to it. He added that everyone is now under the "spotlight of technology."