Facial Recognition: The One Technology Google Is Holding Back

Google has been known for ambitiously developing technology that seems more science fiction than Silicon Valley, such as self-driving cars, but former Google CEO Eric Schmidt shared one technology he says is the only one Google has ever built, then withheld: facial recognition.

"We built that technology and we withheld it," Schmidt said of facial recognition at the All Things Digital D9 conference in California. "As far as I know, it's the only technology Google has built and, after looking at it, we decided to stop."

"I'm very concerned personally about the union of mobile tracking and face recognition," he explained, adding that the company feared that these capabilities could be used both for good and "in a very bad way." Schmidt described a scenario in which an "evil dictator" could use facial recognition to identify people in a crowd and use the technology "against" its citizens.

Though Google may not be releasing products with facial recognition capabilities, Schmidt acknowledged that the open nature of Google's Android and Chrome platforms could enable third parties to develop and distribute this technology.

"There are plenty of apps I don't like that are still legal," he noted.

Still, for the time being, Schmidt maintains that Google is "not going to go into" facial recognition in a "general way."

All Things Digital's Kara Swisher noted that Apple CEO Steve Jobs has repeatedly encouraged her to write about Google and privacy and said that Jobs refers to Google's Android smartphones as the equivalent of a "probe in your pocket." Schmidt countered that Google's privacy approach is to embrace transparency and "tell people what we know and give them a chance to delete it."

WATCH:

Comments

[bryanzth]

11:27 AM on 06/05/2011

Band-aid over the camera.

There.

BZ.

[cedy]

11:24 PM on 06/03/2011

How about one product Facebook is holding back, customer service.

[bryanzth]

11:37 AM on 06/05/2011

You got something there, cedy. I have had the most horrible experiences with trying to solve problems. I am a power user, but I just dont' think that I should have to do the research to solve a problem, when if it's done once, it can be shared with all. So, when I hear "oh don't bother me, google it" or "look it up yourself" etc. from a consultant, I go mad dog, really.

I have had incredibly good tech heip, polite and listening, from companies that use call centers in Manila, in D.F. Mexico, and in Nova Scotia, CA. That would be ATT phone and internet and Toshiba. I don't have ATT mobile service, though. Amazon uses email/chat help in India, I believe, from the names used, and they are so tightly scripted they just give lip-service help. Too bad. I do apologize, sir. I will surely do better. Meh.

Now, Facebook constantly changes their interface. Wrong. They need to do versions, not constant tweaks. Things change by the day, seemingly by the hour. And I haven't time to figure out what has happened NOW! I just want to use the thing to get my communications done, not constantly learn what new tweaks they have applied. Sadly, they haven't enough office space to deal with the questions about all those tweaks, and so as you say, customer service is elusive to Facebook. I think they are still thinking that what they do could be done in a dorm room. I am not sure.

But I think that when interface is a just a stream of tweaks, you disrespect the customer.

BZ.

[Brandon Lockaby]

11:57 PM on 06/02/2011

What happened to the Eric Schmidt who said "If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place?"

[conservicide]

02:24 PM on 06/02/2011

evil. government is drooling.

[disgustedwithall]

10:15 AM on 06/02/2011

While they may be holding back apps, sure wish they'd bring back the Real Estate for sale map, that was a great app, probably was to good to last and some whiny RE Agent complained, not fully understanding it actually help RE industry beyond anything they have..

[Howard53545]

06:26 AM on 06/02/2011

Better release it dude or Apple will!

[bryanzth]

02:14 PM on 06/02/2011

Now, it's already out there. And Apple will out-innovate MSFT again.

BZ.

[hitvish]

09:38 PM on 06/01/2011

Who writes this articles? Why the hell is anyone with some knowledge about technology doesn't write these articles? Huffpo shouldn't accept article for tech section from someone who should be writing in divorce section. Face detection have been around long time. So many companys have it. and it's not hard to find. Go buy a kinect and booya! there's your ten year old playing with googles hidden technolgy!

[bryanzth]

02:15 PM on 06/02/2011

booya? is that a verb?

BZ.

[gavrojames]

06:15 PM on 06/03/2011

The article doesn't say facial recognition technology is not already out there, just that Google has it but hasn't released it. Don't get your hitvish all in a bunch.

[ewj1]

07:41 PM on 06/01/2011

Facial recognition as been around since 1998. Since bout 2005 every major federal crime unit has used it. If you live in a number of states like OR and MS they use facial recognition by comparing your driver license photo.

[BrassOnes]

07:09 PM on 06/01/2011

All the more reason to use hotmail... as nobody worth hacking uses hotmail or aol.

[abuckley23]

04:55 PM on 06/01/2011

Fortunately I change my face every five years and my sexual orientation every five minutes. Keeps them on their toes.

[hypnotoad72]

06:48 PM on 06/01/2011

Being a Time Lord does come in handy once in a while... =D

[abuckley23]

07:01 PM on 06/01/2011

Lol, so true.

[Tunghoy]

07:52 PM on 06/01/2011

Yes, I've heard about those people with two hearts who regenerate every so often. Like when their contract runs out.

[mokvaw]

03:17 PM on 06/01/2011

Schmidt described a scenario in which an "evil dictator" could use facial recognition to identify people in a crowd and use the technology "against" its citizens. They havn't worked on this in a couple of years. Wonder who the "evil dictator" was who got them to stop this technology? Yo, Bush.

[abuckley23]

04:54 PM on 06/01/2011

Obviously it was Darth Vader.

[mokvaw]

05:39 PM on 06/01/2011

You ever watch Star Wars. Darth Vader was the one who actually killed the Sith Lord.

[Aries Warrior]

03:10 PM on 06/01/2011

Eric should put in his monocle and wear his not z uniform...zigheil, baby.

[OneLittleFrog]

02:55 PM on 06/01/2011

Steve Jobs talking about violating personal rights. What a laugh!

How are those secret databases coming, Steve?

[ResearchtheFacts]

02:52 PM on 06/01/2011

Why stop there you have already crossed the line in every other way?

[Danek Greori]

04:23 PM on 06/01/2011

Such as? I must have been asleep when Google became the multi-national overlord ruling humanity with an iron fist.

[JohnDewey]

12:21 PM on 06/02/2011

An awful lot of people believe and/or suspect that Google cooperates with the government on data mining. I've never seen substantive proof, but it's a rumour that's been circulating for a long time.

Google didn't help themselves when they decided to start working hand-in-hand with the NSA on their security issues. The NSA is probably THE agency that most seems to personify the suspicions and fears of the so-called black helicopter crowd.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/188581/the_googlensa_alliance_questions_and_answers.html

[cedy]

11:37 PM on 06/03/2011

it's true, their practices are needing some ethics classes. A big deal right now is Googles attempt to digitize all the worlds books and show snippets of them if not outright publishing them. The worlds authors have sued, for Google simply doesn't have the right to do so. One judge so far has ruled in the authors favor. The implications of this access is far reaching and has tremendous effects. If you look at like intellectual property in which it really is, for google to make it open to everyone, takes away the livelihood of just about every creative person, living or even dead, as the trust of the dead is also at jeopardy. The possible arguement that it will only increase sales of the works may be true, but in some cases is not beneficial. For example a book that was regretfully written would be available, or lets say that a book that is no longer relevant and the author no longer wants it available.

Then there is also the idea of other things like art work, software, and innumerable other types of work, that the creator needs control over.

[Dean S6]

02:33 PM on 06/01/2011

Google holding back the key to every police-state Sci-Fi film ever?

Epic.....