The technology of facial recognition could reach the gaming universe. It allows the identification of individuals based on unique facial characteristics with diverse applications, from security on mobile devices to facilitating authentication processes in online services.
In the United States, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), the body responsible for the age rating of video games in the country, is seeking approval for a facial recognition system that will allow games to identify the appropriate age of the user.
The program’s operation is considered simple: the user points the device’s camera at the face, the system checks whether there is a human face in the frame and sends the image to a server to estimate the person’s age. The analysis process would take less than a second.
What happens if a player is identified as having an inappropriate age for the game?
Photo: Reproduction
If the system classifies the user as being under the recommended age for the game, access is denied. In addition, the system can be used as a parental control tool, allowing parents or guardians to manage game permissions for children and adolescents.
According to the information revealed, the images would be deleted immediately after the analysis was completed. The ESRB also ensures that several methods have been implemented to prevent children and adolescents from circumventing protection.
This system is considered a complement to current methods and not a replacement. The registration of the “Privacy-Protective Facial Age Estimation” was made on June 2, but was recently released, according to information from the websites GamesIndustry It is PC Gamer.
Privacy and discrimination issues
Despite the potential benefits, this proposal raises concerns about privacy and discrimination in these systems. This is currently a broad discussion that plays a significant role in the debate on the use of technology. facial recognition.
In the document sent to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the ESRB addresses the problems arising from the technology, especially the possible failure in identification. According to the data presented, the difference in rejection rates between genders and skin tones is very small.
The ESRB argues that, as with any automated system, such issues pale in comparison to the benefits of increased implementation of the technology, such as parental access to control tools and protection for children.
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