Have you seen this man?

You might have if you watched BBC News in London at 1 pm on Monday. 

 

No, not on Crime Watch, as one of my friends who saw it messaged me! 

 

I was in London with my daughter, having a well-earned day off to spend time with her. I think we managed 17,000 steps by the end of the day. At this point we were in Portobello Market, when I was approached by a camera crew from the BBC. They asked if I would be attending the carnival this year. Those days are long gone, squashed amongst a million revellers on a Sunday afternoon. However, the point of the interview was my view on face recognition being used over the two days. I said in principle I wasn’t keen on Big Brother, but that at a large event like the carnival, it was probably essential, considering the serious disorder of previous years. 

 

It got me thinking about face recognition in general and how often I am asked to look at a screen to identify myself. Even being able to log onto my laptop, I am required to match my face to a certain point on the screen. Many financial apps on my phone require facial recognition too. Any football fan will know there are often police with cameras outside the stations as you spill out and head for the grounds. 

 

This is just a way of life in our modern world. I am sure I am captured far more times than I know on biometric systems. I checked out how many places had CCTV cameras on my walk into Tunbridge Wells. That is personal homes, businesses, car parks, restaurants and other venues, all have cameras. I lost count. 

 

Passwords are starting to feel outdated as more devices want you to use biometrics as your chosen security feature. 

 

Did you know there is now something called behavioural biometrics, which can tell it is you by the way you type and swipe, improving security and adding an invisible additional layer? 

 

Finally, are you heading into the Notting Hill Carnival this bank holiday weekend. If you are, remember to smile. You are on camera!