Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

Facial recognition beats the Covid-mask challenge

Facial recognition beats the Covid-mask challenge

Anyone with a smartphone that uses facial recognition will know it does not really work with a mask on.

That can be frustrating - but although masks have undoubtedly thwarted the facial-recognition industry, the technology has also adapted.

It may sound strange but wearing a mask does not necessarily stop a computer from identifying someone.

And there are even examples of the pandemic being used as an excuse to use facial recognition.

Less accurate


Last year, as people began to increasingly wear masks around the world, the prevailing view was it represented a huge challenge to facial recognition.

It seemed obvious - algorithms designed to analyse faces would be less accurate if part of the face was concealed.

And studies backed this up.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) tested 89 commercial facial-recognition algorithms - and found a 5-50% error rate in matching faces with digitally applied masks to photos of the same person.

'That's Orwellian'


But some facial-recognition technologies still work pretty well on those wearing a mask.

In January, a US Department of Homeland Security "controlled-scenario test" found one with a 96% success rate - although the results "varied greatly between systems".

"Based on these results" the department said, "organisations that need to perform photo ID checks could potentially allow individuals to keep their masks on, thereby reducing the risk of Covid-19 infection."

And although some police forces are using facial recognition less - London's Metropolitan Police, for example, has not conducted a facial-recognition test for over a year - it is still being used, even, reportedly, at Black Lives Matter protests last summer.

"Even if the use of this technology is temporarily interrupted... that doesn't obviate the threat that this technology poses both in the short and the long term," Michael Kleinman, from Amnesty International, told BBC News.

"Anyone walking in front of a camera where police departments are running facial recognition - their face can be captured and they can be identified. That's Orwellian."

'Touchless experience'


In the private sector, it is harder to tell whether the use of facial recognition has decreased over the past year - there is no directory, no list of when and where it is used.

But on Monday, it was announced Disney World was to trial facial-recognition technology for a month.

Its system takes an image of a customer's face and converts it into a unique number, which is associated with the form of admission used for entry into the theme park.

The idea is to cut waiting times, with Disney saying it wants a more "touchless experience".


And crucially, the technology does not require guests to take off their masks.

Uncovered areas


Even before the pandemic, research had been under way on how facial recognition could work with masks.

In Japan, NEC had been working on a system for people who wear masks because of allergies.

And in January, it announced one it said was 99.9% accurate.

It works out whether someone is wearing a mask and then focuses on the uncovered areas, such as the eyes and forehead.

And the company wants to sell it for security checks in office buildings and other facilities.

"Touchless verification has become extremely important due to the impact of the coronavirus," NEC told Reuters.

So once again, the pandemic, rather than hindering facial recognition, is being used as a reason to use it.

"Early on in the pandemic, we thought one of the very few silver linings could be the decline in facial-recognition technologies - but we've absolutely found that it's the opposite," Ella Jakubowska a campaign officer at pressure group European Digital Rights, says.

"The pandemic has unfortunately provided cover for companies to push out to what are effectively mass-surveillance infrastructures, under the guise of public health.

"A lot of companies have seen it almost [as a] challenge to develop technologies that can even more incisively identify people in public."

Strict rules


It has also been announced facial recognition will be used at the Olympics, due to start this July in Japan.

It is not yet clear what for - but there will be strict rules restricting shouting and singing, and foreign visitors will be unable to attend.

Already, the technology had been used to check whether people were wearing masks at sporting events, the Japan Times reported.

Mark Zuckerberg showed a preview of Facebook's smart glasses, in 2017

Facebook too is reportedly considering building facial recognition into its upcoming smart glasses, despite privacy activists' concerns it could be used by stalkers.

Facial recognition remains hugely controversial - and those controversies will remain, whether or not masks are being worn.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×