Two Harvard students have created a disturbing demonstration of how smart glasses can use facial recognition technology to instantly modify people's identities, phone numbers and addresses. The most disturbing part is that the demo uses current and widely available technology, such as Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and public databases.
AnhPhu Nguyen, one of the two students, x.com/AnhPhuNguyen1/status/1840786336992682409″>posted a video showing the technology in action that was later adopted by tech-onto-metas-smart-glasses-to-instantly-dox-strangers/”>404 Media. The technology, called I-XRAY, works by using the Meta smart glasses' ability to stream live videos to instagram. A computer program then monitors that transmission and uses artificial intelligence to identify faces. Those photos are then entered into public databases to find names, addresses, phone numbers and even family members. That information is then sent through a phone app.
In the demo, Nguyen and Caine Ardayfio, the other student behind the project, can be seen using the glasses to identify various classmates, their addresses, and family names in real time. Perhaps most chillingly, Nguyen and Ardayfio are also shown chatting with complete strangers on public transportation, pretending to know them based on information gleaned from technology.
Facial recognition technology has been technology/pimeyes-facial-recognition-search.html”>terribly accurate for a while now, and I-XRAY is largely just chaining together a bunch of existing technologies. It depends in part on PimEyes, which technology/pimeyes-facial-recognition-search.html”>The New York Times described in 2022 as an “alarmingly accurate” face search engine that “anyone can use.” Concerns about this technology have increased since it became known that technology/clearview-privacy-facial-recognition.html”>Clear view of ai was using facial recognition to help authorities. What's new about Nguyen and Ardayfio's demonstration is how the technology is combined with a consumer device that is discreet and easily accessible.
“The purpose of creating this tool is not for misuse and we will not publish it,” Nguyen and Ardafiyo write in a document explaining the project. Instead, the students say their goal is to raise awareness that all of this is not a dystopian future: everything is possible now with existing technology. In particular, they point out that I-XRAY is unique because large language models (LLMs) allow it to work automatically, establishing relationships between names and photographs from vast sources of data.
Privacy has always been a major concern with smart glasses. Google Glass originally failed due in part to public reaction for being recorded without consent in public spaces. However, it is also true that in the decade since, people have become more accustomed to being filmed due to the rise of smartphones, vloggers and TikTok. However, the disturbing thing about modern smart glasses is that they don't stand out as much as Google Glass.
The Ray-Ban Meta glasses used in this demonstration look like any other pair of Ray-Bans. While this is critical for smart glasses adoption, it also makes it difficult for people to record when someone might be wearing a camera on their face. Meta glasses include a privacy light that automatically turns on every time you're recording a video. However, in our testing, we found that it's hard to notice the light when you're outside in bright lighting and that people often don't notice when you're filming, especially in crowded public spaces.
For its part, Meta warns users against glass holes in your privacy policy for Ray-Bans. It urges users to “respect people's preferences” and to make gestures or use voice controls clearly when capturing video, live streaming or taking photos. However, the reality is that people can also choose not to follow wearable etiquette, regardless of what Meta says. The edge He contacted Meta for further comment but did not immediately receive a response.
This is a sobering reminder of how smart glasses can be abused, but there are some steps people can take to protect themselves. In their paper, Nguyen and Ardafiyo list reverse search and people search databases that allow you to opt out. Still, keep in mind that it's almost impossible to completely eliminate your online presence; the only thing you can do is make your information less available.
