Everyday Applications of Facial Recognition Technology
Facial recognition technology (FRT) has moved from the realm of science fiction into everyday applications. You have probably encountered FRT without know it, or without realizing you were using it. If you've ever just looked at your phone to unlock it, you've used FRT. It can be really useful, convenient, and secure - such as authenticating you at a bank machine. But it can also pose risks to your privacy, and may also misidentify you.

Explore the graphics below to see how FRT is being used by different businesses today!

Guest Identity Verification
Whether you're boarding an airplane, or checking into a hotel, FRT can be used to confirm your identity. If the airline, hotel, or other firm has a record of your face in its database, FRT can serve as a quick and secure method for confirming that you are who you say you are - and that someone else can't.From Photo Tagging to Event Access
Picture sharing sites like Google Photos already group images of the same person, letting you find pictures of a person easily. You can also use FRT to virtually "try on" things like new glasses or hairstyles while sitting on the coach and using your phone. And access to events like concerts can be sped up and secured by using FRT.

Self-exclusion, Banking, and Gaming
Identity authentication can be used to provide access to your bank account that is more secure than a four-digit PIN. If you have decided to exclude yourself from places like casinos (or managed to get banned!), FRT can be used to enforce that. And in video gaming, FRT is being used to create a personalized avatar that looks like you.Retail Shopping
FRT can be applied to both patrons and staff. From proactively identifying a return customer when they walk in, to assessing whether a person is browsing or has a question. FRT can also be used for 'loss prevention', say to identify a known shoplifter. FRT is being used to assess staff also, as part of job performance measurement or just to confirm attendance and attention at work.

In-person and Online Learning and Exams
Schools and universities are experimenting with FRT as an alternative to taking attendance (whether for online or in-person classes), or as a way of assessing student engagement. For exams (whether for school or something like a driver's test), FRT can be used for test-taker identity verification whether the exam is taken online or at a testing centre.From Smartphones to Work-from-Home
Most of us are familiar with using FRT to unlock our phone. But FRT has crept into the new world of remote work, where firms require you to keep your computer camera on during the workday and use it to confirm that you are at your desk and working — and to monitor your work performance, your level of engagement, and even your mood!
