Real-time Facial Recognition With Face.com's KLIK App

Everyone's favorite facial-recognition company, Face.com, has released a new facial recognition app for iPhones that automatically identifies your friends by name--before or after you take their photo.

KLIK must be configured to your Facebook account to work; it references the real-time image with all your friends' images to identity the friend in front of you. Usually, KLIK is sharp enough to ID each friend even before you snap a photo. Then, their name floats above them in your camera's viewfinder (like Tom above).

If KLIK doesn't recognize a given friend, you can opt to tag him or her, giving the software a chance to learn more faces and identify additional friends. The app has several photo filters (think Instagram) that let you customize your photos. It also includes a feed of nearby photos, friends' photos and sharing options. I was glad to hear that your photos aren't automatically posted to Facebook--which seems like something Face.com would do.

To me, the app seems fun and pretty sleek. I wouldn't be surprised if my friends and I all end up downloading it the next time we're at the bar.

Interested in trying KLIK for yourself? Download it here.

Facebook Warned Over Facial Rec in Europe

The government of Germany and the European Union have warned Facebook that it has until November 7 to bring its facial recognition software into conformity with their privacy laws. If the necessary changes are not made, the social networking company will face legal action, according to a government lawyer.

The software in question helps users identify other Facebook members through photographs. The facial recognition technology is used to quickly tag photos, and includes an opt-out option.

In Berlin, however, the popular software voilates German and European data protection laws. That's why Germany has accused Facebook of collecting user information without their consent.

This August, the government lawyer requested that Facebook delete all the data collected by its biometric facial recognition application. The company refused to comply.

You might recall that Germany previously railed against Google because of its extensive Street View network. However, Street View, much like Facebook's photo tags, is apparently popular among the citizens of Germany. So, where does the burden of privacy fall?

The View From Above: In Hard Focus Round-Up (July 28, 2011)

Look how far we've come: A new post on Wired's Beyond the Beyond blog reminds us the progress we've made (technologically-speaking) since in the past 60 years. Included are a number of sketches from the 1940s, including a "Memex" designed to bring files to an operator's fingertips instantly and the "Supersecretary of the Modern Age" to transcribe author's notes – and even play them back! And above, the Vannevar Bush Cyclops Camera. At least they were correct in saying "...progress in photography is not going to stop."

Sir, you've had too many..slots: Ontario may be instituting new facial recognition technology...in casinos of all places. In a piece from the Montreal Gazette, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation said it has installed the technology on two-thirds of slot machines and casinos across the province. Still, the program is voluntary at this point, so only if a addict chooses have their picture taken will it impact their gambling experience. 

Amazing. Safer. Fun: These are three words Gizmodo uses to describe the emergence of facial recognition technologies in consumer apps such as Facebook, iPhoto – and the prospects of replacing password and the impact on gaming. While there are valid concerns around privacy, opt-out options and tracking, they see the glass half full. We do, too. 

Facebook Gets Even More Interactive with New Video Service

As we all know, consumers often fall victim to advertising overload. But Mark Zuckerberg is hard at work discovering new ways to cure ad fatigue--and reach out to customers like never before.

Today, White Square Media, LLC. launched "ME," a new patent-pending On Demand interactive video service on Facebook.

Want to buy a pair of shoes Kim Kardashian is wearing in a video? Just click on them! Watching the "Hold It Against Me" video by Britney Spears posted on Jive Records' fan page, and want to know who made Britney's custom jewelry? Just click on it. Any object in streamed video can now be made interactive with ME.

Consumers can now watch streamed video without annoying pre-rolls, commercial spots, or overlays. When the viewer wants to interact with an object in the video just simply click the ME button.

Facebook brands now have the opportunity to convert social media traffic to direct sales without ruining the Facebook experience. Simply register for a free trial account or commercial account on whitesquaremedia.me, upload the flash video, use ME to make it interactive, and then embed it on the brand page or post it to a Facebook wall.

"We're the game changer that many have been waiting for and literally we stepped in the ring between Facebook vs. Google +. It's an exciting and a very bold move!" said Andrew Incorvia, White Square Media's CEO.

"Consumers and advertisers are so tired of the current video advertising machine that's being forced upon them, and social media advertisers grow weary of costly low-quality traffic," Incorvia said. "Consumers aren't buying goods or services through social media. Yet consumers spend hours searching the Internet for something they saw on video. Those days of fruitless searches are gone."

ME can be used anywhere as demonstrated in this interactive press release. Currently ME is offered as a free service for content owners and trial Facebook business users.

White Square Media is a tech start-up, entirely self-funded, and offers a service that gives consumers an "it's about f'n time" feeling. Once you play with ME, you'll never want to go back to non-interactive video.

For more information about the ME service, click here.

'Facebook Music' Will Violate Your Privacy Even More

If you're the type of social media user who gets creeped out by Facebook's facial recognition technology, check-ins and photo-sharing, you're going to hate the website's upcoming music service.

Rumor has it that Facebook is teaming up with digital music provider Spotify to create a never-before-seen social music experience. Of course, music has always been a social experience: something we all enjoy experiencing and sharing with others. Now, Zuckerberg and company are taking that experience online.

As Gigaom explains, Facebook seeks to capitalize on the changing shape of the music industry. To that end, the left-hand column of your homepage will now feature a Music tab. Your Music Dashboard will give you a snapshot of all your current (and past) songs on a range of music websites, (so far) including Pandora, iTunes and Spotify.

Facebook Music will share recommendations from friends. It will tell you what they're listening to. And it will tell them all about the embarrassing Miley Cyrus fest you had late last night.

Of course, the big privacy question remains: Will Facebook Music be opt-in or opt-out, like so many of Zuckerberg's other boundary-pushing projects? Only time will tell.