Due to privacy concerns, the search engine giant has announced to developers that apps that use facial recognition will not be approved for Google’s wearable device dubbed “Google glass”. Apparently Google is concerned about privacy an issue that has been raised several times especially with people walking around wearing Google glass. So apps like MedRef for Glass an app designed for Doctors that uses facial recognition will just have to be kept away from the glass for now. The message was posted by the Google glass team saying
[quote_center]“We’ve been listening to you, and many have expressed both interest and concern around possibilities of facial recognition in Glass, As Google has said for several years, we won’t add facial recognition features to our Products without having strong privacy protections in place. With that in mind, we won’t be approving any facial recognition Glassware at this time”
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Some of the privacy advocates are having a sigh because a lot of issues about privacy on the Google glass have been raised on social media like Facebook, Twitter, Google +. As some stories about Google glass explorers “cyborgs” as some refer to the wearers, have gone to several places without taking their glasses off including restrooms i.e. “loos” which seems a little creepy.
And speaking of privacy, Google might have a long battle over privacy issues in regarding data protection laws in the USA, worse still the stricter laws in Europe after Google Glass goes beyond the explorer edition into commercial production. How do they intend to stop things like spies in offices or more realistically, movie pirates? Just imagine Google glass was as popular as our regular smartphone and people entered with these devices into cinemas, trust me piracy would definitely increase.
The criticism on Google glass is on the rise however not everyone got their ‘eyes’ on the Google glass Explorer edition so we might not enjoy looking through the glass of the device but those at the front of it are surely having their say which is not that positive.
