Avoiding Facial Recognition

2026-10-02T20:34:51Z

Admin:

Always wear a face mask!

== Types of Camera ==
One core thing to know about the types of cameras that are used to perform FR is that there are two distinct types or modes of FR. Many cameras are capable of both modes, but can only be in one mode at once. These modes are typical CCTV "visual-light", and IR-reflecting "night-vision". The reason a distinction must be made between these is that but
=== Visual-light cameras ===
Visual-light cameras can only see what the eye can see (±15nm) so they are easier to fool because you can "debug" your appearance and see what the camera sees with very little effort. This makes it easy to sufficiently cover-up yourself.
=== Night-vision cameras ===
Night-vision cameras can, despite their name, be engaged in full-daylight scenarios, however in practice this is rarely done because it slightly degrades the quality of the returned video and wastes energy illuminating an already bright area with non-visible light. Night-vision cameras can see through certain materials that visual-light can't, such as certain plastics, silicates, glass windows, and importantly eyeglasses.

=== Thermal cameras ===
Thermal cameras as surveillance for FR are not yet deployed widely because they are far too inaccurate, however the research into this area is coming along quickly. In 5-10 years this may become a serious threat, as thermal cameras can see through far more than night-vision cameras, including cloth masks.

== FR and you ==

=== Hats and FR ===
Low-rim/high-cover hats (such as sunhats) are potentially one of the best tools to avoid FR because the heavy majority of surveillance cameras are placed well above the average eye-level, often mounted into ceilings ("eye-in-the-sky" camera types that are domes that poke down from building and train ceilings) or high points on walls ("arm-mounted surveillance cameras") for higher coverage area. The tradeoff here is that if the cameras can't see your face through the hat, you can't see anything above your eyeline either, as you must keep the hat pulled down to your own eyeline. This is also not a silver bullet, but best combined with some of the other techniques lined out in this page because there are plenty of cameras at eye level too.

=== Masks and FR ===
Face masks have been shown to be very effective at fooling the best FR systems. According to a US government survey on millions of photos of immigrants, even the very best of their 90-or-such FR algorithms tested had 5-50% error rates when the image presented had a mask on.

Not all masks are created equal. It seems that light-colored masks (particularly white ones) are far easier for algorithms to cancel out, while dark-colored masks (particularly black and very-dark brown) are extremely effective at confusing FR algorithms. It is potentially also noteworthy that similar-skin-colored face masks can potentially confuse visual-light FR far more than any other type, however this color category was not included in the US government survey.

=== Clothes and FR ===
Some modern FR systems often times take into account more context than just the head. Many top-shelf solutions in deployment by some police departments around the world will also use your outermost clothing layer to match you, so wearing the same outermost layer every day is recommended against, as this makes it easier for both algorithms and officers presented with possible matches to confirm positive FR matches. For example, wearing a single coat all the time that has a distinctive appearance will make it far easier for certain algorithms to identify you.

=== Hair and FR ===
It turns out that long hair is actually excellent for thwarting FR, not only because it blocks viewing your face from some angles but because of how much hair moves about and varies all the time. Long hair is a plus for avoiding FR.

=== Eyes and FR ===
The eye measurements, similar to the ones taken to develop eyeglass prescriptions, as well as measurements around the eye socket are some of the main measurements used to identify faces. However, this is difficult to act against, because IR and non-IR cameras will scan the eye socket in different ways, and a single pair of glasses can only block at most one of the two (except for Reflectacles, which offer some very expensive glasses that claim to block both, but I don't dare spend that much money to confirm). It should also be noted that many FR systems can compensate for the partial darkening effect that sunglasses "shades" provide, so these are not a reliable silver bullet fix.
Because the nose and bridge are also key points, using traditional sunglasses is not a sufficiently effective method for avoiding FR alone, but darkened glasses/IR-blocking glasses can be very helpful as one tool of a set of tools used to stay anonymous.

=== Tilt and FR ===
Lateral tilts of 20+ degrees away from any given camera will dramatically reduce its effectiveness. Vertical tilts have not been reviewed in the same study but are likely to be less effective comparatively.

=== Motion and FR ===
Motion blur and lack of focus has also been shown to help reduce the risk of FR making matches against you, but since this would require sprinting everywhere all the time, this is potentially not super practical.

== Extreme centralisation of CCTV networks ==
In the same way that every Ring doorbell is sending everything it sees to Amazon, pretty much every newly-installed CCTV camera nowadays is connected to the internet and uploading all the footage it records to one of the handful of American or Chinese companies that manufactured the camera. It is also worth noting that most of these cameras also have microphones built-in.

== Datasets ==
[[File:Ticket_Machines.jpg|thumb|Have you ever noticed that most ticket machines in Britain contain a camera that is perfectly positioned to capture nothing but your face? Make sure to smile as you tap your bank card!]]
Facial recognition works best when there's a clean dataset of photos specifically of just your face tied to your government ID, Driver's License, etc (or identifiers that are only a degree of separation away, like bank cards or phone numbers). Passport photos are an obvious source to check against, but consider how the following elements in everyday society will be helping to build this collection of photos of your face:

* Cameras in cash machines/ATMs (extremely common!)
* Cameras in train ticket machines (also extremely common!)
* It's common for card readers at restaurants etc. to contain cameras that capture your face as you pay.
* Having your face captured when you pass through train stations
** Cameras are positioned intentionally to get a clear image of everyone going through the gates to "prevent fraud" or whatever.
** When using paper tickets, you can always ask staff to let you keep your ticket on the way out. They'll open the gates for you.
* Video calls through platforms such as Google Meets and Microsoft Teams
** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optic_Nerve_(GCHQ)

Avoiding Facial Recognition

2026-10-02T20:33:52Z

Admin:

Always wear a face mask!

== Types of Camera ==
One core thing to know about the types of cameras that are used to perform FR is that there are two distinct types or modes of FR. Many cameras are capable of both modes, but can only be in one mode at once. These modes are typical CCTV "visual-light", and IR-reflecting "night-vision". The reason a distinction must be made between these is that but
=== Visual-light cameras ===
Visual-light cameras can only see what the eye can see (±15nm) so they are easier to fool because you can "debug" your appearance and see what the camera sees with very little effort. This makes it easy to sufficiently cover-up yourself.
=== Night-vision cameras ===
Night-vision cameras can, despite their name, be engaged in full-daylight scenarios, however in practice this is rarely done because it slightly degrades the quality of the returned video and wastes energy illuminating an already bright area with non-visible light. Night-vision cameras can see through certain materials that visual-light can't, such as certain plastics, silicates, glass windows, and importantly eyeglasses.

=== Thermal cameras ===
Thermal cameras as surveillance for FR are not yet deployed widely because they are far too inaccurate, however the research into this area is coming along quickly. In 5-10 years this may become a serious threat, as thermal cameras can see through far more than night-vision cameras, including cloth masks.

== FR and you ==

=== Hats and FR ===
Low-rim/high-cover hats (such as sunhats) are potentially one of the best tools to avoid FR because the heavy majority of surveillance cameras are placed well above the average eye-level, often mounted into ceilings ("eye-in-the-sky" camera types that are domes that poke down from building and train ceilings) or high points on walls ("arm-mounted surveillance cameras") for higher coverage area. The tradeoff here is that if the cameras can't see your face through the hat, you can't see anything above your eyeline either, as you must keep the hat pulled down to your own eyeline. This is also not a silver bullet, but best combined with some of the other techniques lined out in this page because there are plenty of cameras at eye level too.

=== Masks and FR ===
Face masks have been shown to be very effective at fooling the best FR systems. According to a US government survey on millions of photos of immigrants, even the very best of their 90-or-such FR algorithms tested had 5-50% error rates when the image presented had a mask on.

Not all masks are created equal. It seems that light-colored masks (particularly white ones) are far easier for algorithms to cancel out, while dark-colored masks (particularly black and very-dark brown) are extremely effective at confusing FR algorithms. It is potentially also noteworthy that similar-skin-colored face masks can potentially confuse visual-light FR far more than any other type, however this color category was not included in the US government survey.

=== Clothes and FR ===
Some modern FR systems often times take into account more context than just the head. Many top-shelf solutions in deployment by some police departments around the world will also use your outermost clothing layer to match you, so wearing the same outermost layer every day is recommended against, as this makes it easier for both algorithms and officers presented with possible matches to confirm positive FR matches. For example, wearing a single coat all the time that has a distinctive appearance will make it far easier for certain algorithms to identify you.

=== Hair and FR ===
It turns out that long hair is actually excellent for thwarting FR, not only because it blocks viewing your face from some angles but because of how much hair moves about and varies all the time. Long hair is a plus for avoiding FR.

=== Eyes and FR ===
The eye measurements, similar to the ones taken to develop eyeglass prescriptions, as well as measurements around the eye socket are some of the main measurements used to identify faces. However, this is difficult to act against, because IR and non-IR cameras will scan the eye socket in different ways, and a single pair of glasses can only block at most one of the two (except for Reflectacles, which offer some very expensive glasses that claim to block both, but I don't dare spend that much money to confirm). It should also be noted that many FR systems can compensate for the partial darkening effect that sunglasses "shades" provide, so these are not a reliable silver bullet fix.
Because the nose and bridge are also key points, using traditional sunglasses is not a sufficiently effective method for avoiding FR alone, but darkened glasses/IR-blocking glasses can be very helpful as one tool of a set of tools used to stay anonymous.

=== Tilt and FR ===
Lateral tilts of 20+ degrees away from any given camera will dramatically reduce its effectiveness. Vertical tilts have not been reviewed in the same study but are likely to be less effective comparatively.

=== Motion and FR ===
Motion blur and lack of focus has also been shown to help reduce the risk of FR making matches against you, but since this would require sprinting everywhere all the time, this is potentially not super practical.

== Extreme centralisation of CCTV networks ==
In the same way that every Ring doorbell is sending everything it sees to Amazon, pretty much every newly-installed CCTV camera nowadays is connected to the internet and uploading all the footage it records to one of the handful of American or Chinese companies that manufactured the camera. It is also worth noting that most of these cameras also have microphones built-in.

== Datasets ==
[[File:Ticket_Machines.jpg|thumb|Have you ever noticed that most ticket machines in Britain contain a camera that is perfectly positioned to capture nothing but your face? Make sure to smile as you tap your bank card!]]
Facial recognition works best when there's a clean dataset of photos specifically of just your face tied to your government ID, Driver's License, etc (or identifiers that are only a degree of separation away, like bank cards or phone numbers). Passport photos are an obvious source to check against, but consider how the following elements in everyday society will be helping to build this collection of photos of your face:

* Cameras in cash machines/ATMs (extremely common!)
* Cameras in train ticket machines (also extremely common!)
* Having your face captured when you pass through train stations
** Cameras are positioned intentionally to get a clear image of everyone going through the gates to "prevent fraud" or whatever.
** When using paper tickets, you can always ask staff to let you keep your ticket on the way out. They'll open the gates for you.
* Video calls through platforms such as Google Meets and Microsoft Teams
** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optic_Nerve_(GCHQ)

2026-10-02T20:09:47Z

Admin: Created page with "The '''United States''' requires all visitors entering on a non-American passport to have their fingerprints taken at the border. Yuck! Combined with similar requirements from the European Union and plenty of other countries, this means anyone who travels internationally will probably end up having their fingerprints taken by governments they didn't vote for."

European Union

2026-10-02T20:03:25Z

Admin: intro

The '''European Union''' promotes free movement between member states. While reducing border checks is generally a good thing for privacy, the flip side is that the EU effectively requires everyone to have their fingerprints taken either at the border or from the age they have to start carrying a mandatory (or effectively mandatory) ID card.

== Mandatory fingerprinting of citizens ==
'''Regulation (EC) 2252/2004''' and '''Regulation (EU) 2019/1157''' mandate that all biometric passports and identity cards issued by EU member states must contain at least two fingerprints. The United Kingdom and Ireland - both outside the Schengen free travel area - were given opt-outs.

''Conveniently'', a lot of European countries also mandate that everyone must have an ID card. Even without this, one of these identity documents must be carried when crossing internal EU borders, and the majority of people will get a passport to travel internationally at some point. This effectively means that all citizens are legally required to have their fingerprints taken.

== Mandatory fingerprinting of visitors ==
From 2025, the EU is introducing the '''Entry/Exit System''' and the '''European Travel Information and Authorisation System''' (ETIAS) for anyone visiting member states in the Schengen area without an EU passport, even if they are from a country with visa-free access such as the UK.

This will impose similar rules to US, in that you must submit information about yourself online and pay an application fee to get permission to enter the country in advance, and then fingerprints are taken at the border.

The EU's [https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees/data-held-ees_en webpage on the subject] clearly states: "If you refuse to provide your biometric data, you will be denied entry into the territory of the European countries using the EES."

Not very friendly.

== Ireland and the Common Travel Area ==
The Republic of Ireland is in the European Union, but unlike most other members, is not in the Schengen area. This is because they are instead in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Travel_Area Common Travel Area], allowing free movement between the British isles.

You do not need to have your fingerprints taken to get an Irish passport, but since it is an EU passport, it allows entry into other EU countries without fingerprints being taken at the border.

== Phone number registration ==
[[File:SIM Card Registration Map.png|thumb|Countries shown in red have compulsory SIM card registration]]
The vast majority of countries in the world require phone numbers to be tied to your legal identity. The UK is one of the only countries where you can just walk into a shop and buy a SIM card with cash without it being linked to your ID. Considering that a large number of mainstream internet services require phone number verification nowadays (including most of the popular email providers), this makes it very easy to trace all of your online activity back to you.

[https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20220801%2Fhow-will-swedens-ban-on-pre-paid-sims-affect-foreigners Sweden] implemented mandatory phone number registration in 2023, claiming it is needed to reduce crime.

More information: https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/sim-card-registration-laws/

== Nothing to hide ==
One interesting thing about the UK is that only 85% of the land has an owner that is registered with the government. There are cases in which the official advice given for identifying the owner is to [https://hmlandregistry.blog.gov.uk/2018/02/05/search-owner-unregistered-land/ "ask in the local pub"].

This culture is in stark contrast with that of certain European countries: in Sweden, every adult must have their home address as public information. You can look up any Swedish citizen by their legal name on https://hitta.se or numerous similar websites, and it will tell you where they live. In Germany, every personal website must have an "Impressum" page publicly displaying the owner's home address.

== See also ==
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_identity_card_policies_by_country

European Union

2026-10-02T19:59:03Z

Admin:

== Mandatory fingerprinting of citizens ==
'''Regulation (EC) 2252/2004''' and '''Regulation (EU) 2019/1157''' mandate that all biometric passports and identity cards issued by EU member states must contain at least two fingerprints. The United Kingdom and Ireland - both outside the Schengen free travel area - were given opt-outs.

''Conveniently'', a lot of European countries also mandate that everyone must have an ID card. Even without this, one of these identity documents must be carried when crossing internal EU borders, and the majority of people will get a passport to travel internationally at some point. This effectively means that all citizens are legally required to have their fingerprints taken.

== Mandatory fingerprinting of visitors ==
From 2025, the EU is introducing the '''Entry/Exit System''' and the '''European Travel Information and Authorisation System''' (ETIAS) for anyone visiting member states in the Schengen area without an EU passport, even if they are from a country with visa-free access such as the UK.

This will impose similar rules to US, in that you must submit information about yourself online and pay an application fee to get permission to enter the country in advance, and then fingerprints are taken at the border.

The EU's [https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees/data-held-ees_en webpage on the subject] clearly states: "If you refuse to provide your biometric data, you will be denied entry into the territory of the European countries using the EES."

Not very friendly.

== Ireland and the Common Travel Area ==
The Republic of Ireland is in the European Union, but unlike most other members, is not in the Schengen area. This is because they are instead in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Travel_Area Common Travel Area], allowing free movement between the British isles.

You do not need to have your fingerprints taken to get an Irish passport, but since it is an EU passport, it allows entry into other EU countries without fingerprints being taken at the border.

== Phone number registration ==
[[File:SIM Card Registration Map.png|thumb|Countries shown in red have compulsory SIM card registration]]
The vast majority of countries in the world require phone numbers to be tied to your legal identity. The UK is one of the only countries where you can just walk into a shop and buy a SIM card with cash without it being linked to your ID. Considering that a large number of mainstream internet services require phone number verification nowadays (including most of the popular email providers), this makes it very easy to trace all of your online activity back to you.

[https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20220801%2Fhow-will-swedens-ban-on-pre-paid-sims-affect-foreigners Sweden] implemented mandatory phone number registration in 2023, claiming it is needed to reduce crime.

More information: https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/sim-card-registration-laws/

== Nothing to hide ==
One interesting thing about the UK is that only 85% of the land has an owner that is registered with the government. There are cases in which the official advice given for identifying the owner is to [https://hmlandregistry.blog.gov.uk/2018/02/05/search-owner-unregistered-land/ "ask in the local pub"].

This culture is in stark contrast with that of certain European countries: in Sweden, every adult must have their home address as public information. You can look up any Swedish citizen by their legal name on https://hitta.se or numerous similar websites, and it will tell you where they live. In Germany, every personal website must have an "Impressum" page publicly displaying the owner's home address.

== See also ==
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_identity_card_policies_by_country

European Union

2026-10-02T19:57:07Z

Admin:

== Mandatory fingerprinting of citizens ==
'''Regulation (EC) 2252/2004''' and '''Regulation (EU) 2019/1157''' mandate that all biometric passports and identity cards issued by EU member states must contain at least two fingerprints. The United Kingdom and Ireland - both outside the Schengen free travel area - were given opt-outs.

''Conveniently'', a lot of European countries also mandate that everyone must have an ID card. Even without this, one of these identity documents must be carried when crossing internal EU borders, and the majority of people will get a passport to travel internationally at some point. This effectively means that all citizens are legally required to have their fingerprints taken.

== Mandatory fingerprinting of visitors ==
From 2025, the EU is introducing the '''Entry/Exit System''' and the '''European Travel Information and Authorisation System''' (ETIAS) for anyone visiting member states in the Schengen area without an EU passport, even if they are from a country with visa-free access such as the UK.

This will impose similar rules to US, in that you must submit information about yourself online and pay an application fee to get permission to enter the country in advance, and then fingerprints are taken at the border.

The EU's [https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees/data-held-ees_en webpage on the subject] clearly states: "If you refuse to provide your biometric data, you will be denied entry into the territory of the European countries using the EES."

Not very friendly.

== Ireland and the Common Travel Area ==
The Republic of Ireland is in the European Union, but unlike most other members, is not in the Schengen area. This is because they are instead in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Travel_Area Common Travel Area], allowing free movement between the British isles.

You do not need to have your fingerprints taken to get an Irish passport, but since it is an EU passport, it allows entry into other EU countries without fingerprints being taken at the border.

== Phone number registration ==
[[File:SIM Card Registration Map.png|thumb|Countries shown in red have compulsory SIM card registration]]
The vast majority of countries in the world require phone numbers to be tied to your legal identity. The UK is one of the only countries where you can just walk into a shop and buy a SIM card with cash without it being linked to your ID. Considering that a large number of mainstream internet services require phone number verification nowadays (including most of the popular email providers), this makes it very easy to trace all of your online activity back to you.

[https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20220801%2Fhow-will-swedens-ban-on-pre-paid-sims-affect-foreigners Sweden] implemented mandatory phone number registration in 2023, claiming it is needed to reduce crime.

More information: https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/sim-card-registration-laws/

== See also ==
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_identity_card_policies_by_country

File:SIM Card Registration Map.png

2026-10-02T19:56:10Z

2026-10-02T18:07:04Z

Admin:

Welcome to Biometrics.wiki

This is a public resource for learning about biometrics and avoiding mass surveillance.