China's Baidu web portal tests facial recognition search

It looks like Google and Facebook aren't alone in the field of facial recognition: China's Baidu portal is getting in on the act, too.

 

Tech site The Next Web reported Baidu.com is testing a facial recognition image search engine that initially works well with celebrities' photos.

 

"After playing around with it for a couple of minutes, it appears quite capable of searching for simple celebrity photos, but breaks down when tasked with sub-optimal shots or lesser-known figures," it said.

 

It said the new service (shitu.baidu.com) lets users paste or upload an image, then search for a face.

 

The Next Web said Baidu believes it can use facial recognition for good - the new service is a customized version of its search engine, powered by technology from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Computing Technology.

 

One possible application is to find missing people in China, it added.

 

A translated article from Techweb.com.cn apparently says that users can upload pictures, paste the image address or drag and drop an image into the search box.

 

Search results can be displayed via facial close-up or a complete picture.

 

On the other hand, The Next Web noted Google has decided to avoid implementing facial recognition technology into its own search engine.

 

It said Google chairman Eric Schmidt had voiced concern about potential misuses of the technology.

 

"Google did go on to implement its own 'Find My Face' technology into its Google+ social network, but it took careful steps to ensure privacy, such as making it an opt-in feature and setting up an approval system," it added.

 

Baidu presently dominates the Chinese search market, although it faces a possible challenge from Qihoo 360. — TJD, GMA News