Google nixes face-recognition features in Glass eyewear

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) ― Google late Friday put out word that it won’t add face-recognition features to Glass, in a bow to privacy fears raised about the camera-enabled Internet-connected eyewear.

“We won’t add facial recognition features to our products without having strong privacy protections in place,” Google said in an online message aimed at software developers creating applications for Glass.

“With that in mind, we won’t be approving any facial recognition Glassware at this time,” the message continued, revealing how the company intends to refer to software designed for the devices.

In May, a group of U.S. lawmakers asked Google to answer questions on the privacy implications and possible “misuse of information” of its Glass project.

Eight U.S. lawmakers in the Congressional Privacy Caucus sent a letter saying they are “curious whether this new technology could infringe on the privacy of the average American.”

The lawmakers asked Google to provide information about how it would collect and use data from the Internet-linked eyewear, which has been tested by a small group of users and is expected to hit the market later this year.

Some small establishments in the United States have vowed to ban Glass due to worries about how being able to discreetly take pictures or video might be seen as invasive by patrons.

Facebook and Twitter have already launched applications Google glasses.