Covid-19: The Age of Masks and Facial Recognition

https://www.cnet.com/health/facial-recognition-firms-are-scrambling-to-see-around-face-masks/

It's one of the rare blessings of the Covid-19 era. My wife and I were talking about this a couple of months ago when the new reality started to settle on American shores. We were talking about it because as the pandemic was spreading, everyone was talking about tracking apps and government surveillance. Facial recognition had already been in the news for some time as it has been proliferating over the past couple of years.

But then we started noticing all the people wearing masks – not here but in Europe and Asia. And I thought, 'Isn't that interesting,' in light of facial recognition. So it's no surprise these (frankly evil) companies are trying to find ways to circumvent this – I'm not sure they will be successful, at least I hope not.

But even long after the mask mandates go away there will still be a general tolerance for people that want to wear them. Of course there will be others who want to wear them for reasons other than Covid-19.

I've heard that some banks are considering have mask wearers take off their masks as they go through the door and then put them back on again. Why? They're not saying but it's easy enough to see. They want to catch your face on camera and probably standing next to the height gauge. They're afraid of being robbed. Let's face it, if you entered a bank a few months ago wearing a mask that would provoke a very different response.

But here's the thing – toying with your mask violates the health protocol. Presumably you just touched the door and now you're taking your germy hand and playing with your mask. Now most of us will be forced to mess with the mask in order to function. Frankly it was laughable and absurd during our first post-lockdown service in church as we (for at least that one Sunday) tried to sing while masked. I looked around and everyone was fighting with their masks. It was ridiculous. We could have just met outside and then the problem would be solved – at least for months to come.

And thus we've also begun to cross into the realm of absurdity – wherein we are wearing masks not actually to block Coronavirus but to conform with a new normal. Why do I say that? Because if the authorities were really serious (I mean really serious) about the whole mask and social distancing bit then they wouldn't have let us pack into stores (with reduced hours and bottlenecked entry/exits) like sardines and there wouldn't be a discussion about taking masks on and off. The whole thing descends into a game and it also at that point that the state begins to lose credibility in the eyes of many people. They see the inconsistencies and throwing their hands up into the air they declare the whole business to be a joke.

And yet – maybe the masking routine can come in handy. Because it gives people a means and an excuse to evade facial recognition technology. I don't want to walk down the street wearing a mask. I doubt anyone does. But if I lived in China and I was on my way to an underground meeting – I just might wear one.

And if a second wave of Covid-19 hits this fall and churches are shut down again – it might be something to consider.

In the meantime if these companies lose contracts and go bankrupt – all the better.