Currently, the most popular use of facial recognition is for surveillance purposes. Facial recognition is also being used to control access to computers and facilities, by replacing badges and passwords. The casino industry relies on facial recognition as a part of casino security to identify "card counters" and other undesirables. Check-cashing operations are also using facial recognition. Since 1998, the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles has been using facial recognition to check for duplicate and false driver's license registrations. The British use facial recognition to fight crime in places like Newham, England and to combat hooliganism at soccer games. The Israeli government uses facial recognition to automate the border-crossing process for workers entering Israel from Palestine. And in 1999, the Mexican government deployed a facial recognition system to eliminate duplicate voter registration in the presidential election. .
Even at Super Bowl XXXV, law enforcement used facial recognition as part of an effort to prevent a terrorist act or other serious criminal incident. Facial recognition technology will also be coming to the Virginia Beach oceanfront in the Spring of 2002. And since the September 11 terrorist attacks, airports and other high access facilities will start to use facial recognition. .
Some commercial uses of facial recognition are: day care; to verify identify of individuals picking up children, missing children; search surveillance images and the internet for missing children and runaways, residential security; alert homeowners of approaching people, and healthcare; minimize fraud by verifying identity.
.
Privacy Issues.
One main problem with biometrics such as facial recognition is that there are many privacy versus security issues. Privacy and security are not the same. A guarantee of security does not ensure a guarantee of privacy. These privacy issues are raised, because there are two aspects of biometric facial recognition; clandestine capture and tracking.
