Concerns arising about facial recognition apps on smart phones
MILWAUKEE- Imagine a stranger using your picture to find out everything about you -- photo stalking.
With cell phones you can take a picture of anyone and with this new app, you can use that picture to follow anyone.
It's called facial recognition, and now it's on your cell phone.
It's not scary because of how far technology has advanced, but because of it's potential.
Right now, facial recognition on smart phones is still in its infancy. You can unlock your phone with your face, instead typing in a password -- but experts say, that's just the beginning.
There's already multiple apps out there that claim it can identify someone if you just take their picture.
The I-team tested some of them, so far, none of them are a go.
But one app is very very close.
One victim is so scared, we're protecting her identity. She was stalked by her ex-husband, someone she knew, which makes her all the more fearful of what facial recognition could offer strangers.
"I was afraid for my life. Afraid for my children. Afraid of what he could do to me," said the woman. "For an abuser, this is like, to me, a dream come true for them."
The app's called Recognizr.
It advertises on You Tube -- all you need is a picture.
Then that pic is compared to photos on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites.
Identifying the person, and syncing you with their profiles. It's marketed to be a friendly, easy way to social network.
Angela Mancuso is the co-executive director at the Sojourner Family Peace Center, she told TODAY'S TMJ4, "That's how they would promote it. But it also makes things easier for people to cause harm."
She helps stalking victims every day. "I think with an app like this it just opens up a can of worms," said Mancuso.
The Swedish company that developed Recognizr, was sold. But experts say it's still possible the app will go on the market soon.
And say if it's not Recognizr, it's only a matter of time before it's something else.
Milwaukee County Chief Deputy District Attorney Kent Lovern said he's ready for it. "An individual that would use the app that you are describing actually would face a more severe penalty, because he is using an electronic device in order to obtain that personal information of his victim."
Wisconsin changed its stalking statute so that predators who use electronics to stalk their victims will have a much more severe punishment, up to six years in prison.
And there's already a number of other companies working on facial recognition software. Google is just one, among many.





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