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Say Cheese: Amazon Aims to Introduce Selfie Authorization

© Flickr / Olivier OrtelpaPeople taking a selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower, Paris.
People taking a selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower, Paris. - Sputnik International
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Amazon is aspiring to make online shopping even easier, through the use of a recently-patented facial recognition password protocol.

A picture shows the logo of the online retailer Amazon dispalyed on computer screens in London on December 11, 2014 - Sputnik International
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Amazon, the largest US Internet retailer, will introduce new technology allowing customers to authorize purchases with a selfie, instead of a typed-in password. The company has recently filed for a patent featuring the technology.

After the protocol is implemented, customers will be prompted to take a photo or video of themselves. Sophisticated facial recognition software will verify the user's identity and allow the transaction.

According to the patent abstract, traditional passwords do not provide a sufficient degree of security, as many people rely on short passwords that are easy to remember and thus easy to hack. And even a long password won't protect a customer if a mobile device is stolen and hacked. Users currently type in a password after turning away from those present, possibly "awkward or embarrassing in many situations," according to the document.

Amazon's technology, however, is a bit more than just facial recognition software. Since existing algorithms can easily be spoofed by holding a picture of a person in front of the camera, the Amazon app will require the user to perform certain actions, such as blink, smile or tilt their head.

"[This] causes the transaction to be performed after verifying performance of the action by the identified user," says Amazon.

It is unknown, however, when the technology will be implemented. as additional work is required to provide sufficient reliability. Google's Android face unlock system is reportedly easily spoofed by a doctored photo, even after a blink request was introduced.

 

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