Facial recognition app matches strangers to online profiles
See someone on the train you’d like to date? NameTag, an upcoming app for Android, iOS, and Google Glass uses facial recognition technology to match passersby to their social-media and dating info.
by Michelle Starr
January 7, 2014 10:36 AM PST
Soon your face could be your calling card. An upcoming app for Android, iOS, and Google Glass called NameTag will allow you to photograph strangers and find out who they are — complete with social networking and online dating profiles.
Spot someone out and about that you want to identify, and you can capture their face using your device’s camera. The app will send the photo wirelessly to NameTag’s server, where it will compare the photo to millions of online records and return with a name, more photos, and social-media profiles, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, where the person (or their friends) might have publicly posted photos of themselves.
And, if you’re interested in that person in a more-than-passing fashion, the app’s creator — FacialNetwork — is working on technology that will allow scanning of profile pictures on online dating sites, such as Plenty of Fish, OKCupid, and Match.com.