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In 2011, taken by the emergence of mass protest movements around the world, artist Zach Blas began making, "Facial Weaponization Suite, (2011 - present)."[Video]
Facial Weaponization Suite is a series of community workshops which discuss and resist biometric facial recognition technologies and the larger political ethos which supports and enforces them. The workshop participants then have their own faces scanned and compiled into a collective mask, a mask which resists any biometric quantification. Vice got Blas on the phone to learn a little more about the project.
The mask does appear to defeat the many algorithms that are currently employed by tracking cameras that are used in many countries. Of course, some countries have already brought in or at least proposed legislation to ban the wearing of any kind of mask in public (unless a masquerade party is being held) but, in the case of a mass demonstration, it might be enough to protect an individual from being recognised or having their movements tracked unless (s)he was physically detained. How long will it be before legislation is brought in to outlaw the manufacture or sale of such masks?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 11 2014, @05:49PM
Guy Fawkes mask. Problem solved.
(Score: 2) by rts008 on Friday July 11 2014, @06:06PM
That seems the most appropriate choice indeeed.
I came here to post that myself, but you beat me to it. *tip o' the hat to ya*
I think that this whack-a-mole escapade will get quite interesting from here, on out.
I can see street vendors peddling disguise kits, theatrical make-up shops setting up booths, etc...after a while nobody will know what anyone else REALLY looks like. It could be kinda fun...;-)
I'm glad I kept that old R.M. Nixon mask from the 1970's, it might be handy!
(Score: 3, Informative) by janrinok on Friday July 11 2014, @06:37PM
The problem with conventional masks is that the tracking algorithm used in cameras can still identify a "face" in its view, and track it even when several similar masks meet in the same view. The new mask doesn't even trigger the tracking algorithm - the person is simply ignored by the camera. There is a part of the video which shows this effect - I was impressed.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 11 2014, @07:06PM
An important part of this story is that the guy is an artist. His goals aren't just to stymie the face trackers but also to call attention to how this technology is focused on the disenfranchised in both obvious and non-obvious ways.
We've already seen how much simpler masks [huffingtonpost.com] are used without (intentionally) making an artistic statement.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Jeremiah Cornelius on Friday July 11 2014, @11:03PM
Oh. You said "Faces".
Nevermind...
You're betting on the pantomime horse...
(Score: 2) by Fnord666 on Saturday July 12 2014, @03:30AM
Admit it. The mask is actually for the annual "Point Break" film festival.
(Score: 2) by rts008 on Saturday July 12 2014, @12:58PM
What is a "Point Break" festival?
Never heard of it, and if it involves movies, I'm not interested.