“Secret camouflage” clothing is being developed to hide people from “creepy” facial recognition AI

THE doors to the camouflage market have been thrown open – but not for the reason you’re thinking.

Instead of trying to avoid a human enemy, people are buying “secret camouflage clothing” to hide from facial recognition technology.

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Facial recognition technology has permeated the public so deeply that it doesn’t feel like an invasion of privacy for most.

In airports, most people don’t think twice about having cameras measure their faces to make sure they match the person on their passport.

Today, Live Feed CCTV cameras come with Live Face Recognition (LFR) software that recognizes individual human faces.

Though it’s often used against a predetermined watch list, the technology has been accused of being “unlawful” and “unethical” by a number of activists, including a report from the University of Cambridge.

The report recommended banning it from use on streets, airports and all public places – where it is most commonly used.

The head of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data protection regulator, has previously raised concerns about the technology over its “supercharged CCTV” capabilities.

One company leading a kind of personal rebellion against this technology is a clothing brand called Cap_able.

“The need to protect individuals from the misuse of new artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is increasingly felt and doubts about their long-term ethical sustainability remain high,” writes the Italian company on its website.

AI’s capabilities have grown exponentially in recent years, escalating fears about surveillance.

Facial recognition technology uses AI to collect biometric data, which is when physical attributes are used to confirm an individual’s identity.

However, the biometric data of individuals wearing Cap_able technology cannot be stored.

This is because the clothing confuses the technology so it cannot collect biometrics as usual.

Cap_able has patented its unique fabric in 2021 for industrial invention.

But privacy comes at a price.

The cost of a Capable garment ranges from €370 to €640 each (£325 to £563), excluding discounts.

“Cap_able’s technology helps protect the privacy and protection of personal data and protect citizens who choose to wear its clothing from … interference with their individual lives,” the company writes.

According to the UK government, police can only use facial recognition where it is necessary for a policing purpose that is “proportionate” and in compliance with human rights and equality laws.

A government spokesman told The Sun: “All organizations in the UK that process personal data, including biometric data, must comply with the requirements of UK data protection legislation.

“This also includes ensuring that any processing is lawful, transparent and fair to the data subjects.”

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