Racist Facial Recognition Software Returns

Only 3 weeks ago Printerinks.com News reported on the Hewlett Packard webcam that failed to recognise non-caucasian users. Uncovered by Afro-American Desi Cryer, he accused HP’s facial recognition software of racism in his humorous YouTube video. He prompted a fast response from Hewlett Packard - while the video logs nearly 2 million views.

Now it transpires that glitchy facial recognition software is not unique to Hewlett Packard. According to a 22 January 2010 article by Adam Rose at Time.com, the software in Nikon and Sony digital cameras is also racially biased.

Unlike the HP Pavilion webcam though, which has trouble registering darker skin pigments, the Nikon Coolpix S630 takes narrow eyelids for shut eyelids. Discovered by Taiwanese-American strategy consultant Joz Wang last year, the Coopix S630 kept asking ‘Did someone blink?’ when she snapped her brother. Only when Wang’s brother stare bug-eyed did the facial recognition software register him.

“I thought the camera was broken!” Wang told Time.com. Like Desi Cryer, she posted proof of the glitchy software online (see above) – and soon received publicity through Gizmodo.com. Responses were quick to point to the especial irony of the Coolpix S630’s glitch. The camera’s manufacturers – Nikon – are Asian.