Amazon has filed a patent that would allow people to buy and pay via selfie.
The online giant retailer’s new patent will implement facial recognition software that enables the shoppers use their face to replace the key in of password upon the end of purchase, according to Computer World. The user authentication will work by just verifying the image or video of a live human using one or more than human-verification processes.
Such technology will help not to key in password anymore when buying stuff on Amazon’s website. Passwords have been easily forgotten and stolen as well when hacking occurred. Password may become obsolete but not until this kind of technology will happen. The current application’s goal is to make it safer for users to shop online by just relying on their own images instead of a password.
It is worth noting that the company said that the patent application is related to a separate patent that Amazon will use in the user authentication via a photo or video. That initial patent was not tied to a transaction function.
However, there is one more concern which is when the facial recognition can be spoofed by just holding a picture of the real user in front of the camera that results to a two-dimensional image that may look similar. Amazon has already thought of this possibility and they have a solution. A mobile device will prompt the user to make a specific action such as blinking of an eye just to authenticate the user and be able to analyzed the image from real live person and not just an image.
Amazon is not the only company to create such technology using selfie for use authentication. MasterCard is also working on a photo-based payment technology where the consumers can confirm their purchase by taking selfie to authenticate their identity.
The credit card company will roll out the program soon in Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Moreover, Alibaba has also unveiled its Alipay’s new facial recognition system called Smile to Pay, International Business Times reported. This process will let the front camera of the user’s smartphone to authenticate the payments upon any purchase.