Facial Recognition Software To Be Made Publicly Available

New facial recognition software is ready to be released despite apprehensions from privacy watchdogs.

A product of software-maker Face.com, the yet-to-be named software has the capability to recognise a face by comparing the positions of nose, eyes and mouth with that of the images available on web, the Daily Mail has reported.

According to Face.com, the software provides an accurate answer in 9 out of 10 cases and it is being used by around 5,000 developers presently.

"You can basically search for people in any photo. You could search for family members on Flickr, in newspapers, or in videos on YouTube," said Gil Hirsch, chief executive officer of Face.com.

Supporters, including the Red Cross society, expect the technology to become a boon for victims of humanitarian disasters, whereas privacy regulators feel that the face scanning and recognition technology may make many people concerned.

Director of Privacy International Simon Davies said: "I think this will make many people very uneasy."

"The regulators have been hugely behind the curve of protecting people's privacy on the internet. We need to push for much tighter international rules."